Recycling hauler finds trouble in Fort Worth.

A company responsible for collecting recyclables in Fort Worth, Texas, is facing a range of allegations ranging from illegal dumping to failure to pay for equipment and workers.

The Forth Worth Star-Telegram reports that Toter has dropped hauler Resource Waste Services as a subcontractor involved in building trash and recycling carts. The company is accused of failing to pay temporary workers who assembled recycling carts. According to the Star-Telegram, Corporate Personnel Services & Temps has filed suit in Tarrant County alleging that Resource Waste Services failed to reimburse the personnel company for roughly $140,000 in wages.

A second lawsuit accuses Resource Waste Services of trespassing and dumping trash on property owned by TXI Operations, while a third accuses the company of neglecting to fully pay off two finance lease agreements dating back to 1997, according to the StarTelegram.

Resource Waste Services is also in bad standing with the Texas comptroller's office for failure to file one or more required tax reports, the paper reports.

Overall Fort Worth trash and recycling contractor Waste Management has implemented a number of changes to garbage, recycling and yard trimming collections in Fort Worth in response to a letter of default issued by Brian Boerner, Fort Worth's Environmental Management Department director, which threatened to terminate its 10-year, $189 million contract with Waste Management in light of repeat collection problems.

In an attempt to address the city's concerns, Waste Management has brought in 15 route auditors to accompany crews along their routes; installed satellite tracking systems in all its trucks to ensure proper coverage of routes and to record problem areas; and taken over the subcontractor Resource Waste Services's role in collecting yard waste.

"We're definitely encouraged by the response from Waste Management," Dot Kent of the city's Environmental Management Department says. "It's clear that they are doing what's needed ."

Despite the collection problems, residents have not soured on the recycling program, which began March 31.

Environmental Management Department assistant director Kim Mote says that the participation rate for recycling is still very high. He attributes the interest in the variable rate structure, commonly referred to as "pay as you throw," which allows residents to select the size of their garbage cart, and the ease of single-stream collection.

Kent reports that the city's recycling rate was at 17 percent in late July, which is an 11 percent increase from the recycling rate prior to the start of the program.