Republic Services has had a lid on Southern Nevada trash contracts for decades.
The company is the only one permitted to pick up residential waste in Clark County, Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas.
But now, a competitor is asking the City of Las Vegas to dump Republic Services — or at least give other companies the chance to compete.
Western Elite is a trash and recycling company in the construction and demolition business. It also provides residential trash services in Lincoln County, where it has a landfill.
Western Elite Vice President Scott Seastrand told KNPR's State of Nevada that his company can handle residential trash in the City of Las Vegas, and would like a chance to do so.
Republic Services has picked up the city's trash since 1985. Its contract expires in 2021, and it's currently in talks with the city to renew.
"There's still five years left on the contract, and now they want to extend it another 15," Seastrand said. "It'll be another generation before us as a community have an opportunity to really consider any other options."
Seastrand said the city has responded positively to his concerns. City Councilman Bob Beers told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he's open to talks, but Western Elite would have to offer a better or cheaper service.
Seastrand says his company has two material-recovery facilities, more than 70 trucks on the roads every day, and is the only other competitor with its own landfill. The landfill is located in Lincoln County, about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas.
He would also like to see commercial waste arrangements opened to all trash companies, rather than being determined by the city.
"This is not just about Western Elite," Seastrand said. "This is about the opportunity for any other competitor to be in a position to offer options."
Scott Seastrand, vice president, Western Elite