The city of Columbia entered a contract last Thursday with Utah-based waste management firm EnviroServe to clean up homeless encampments.
The contract lists EnviroServe’s responsibilities as, “conducting scheduled cleanups of designated unhoused encampment areas, improving health, safety and environmental conditions while respecting the dignity of unhoused individuals.”
Contractors are equipped to handle hazardous materials, including human waste, discarded needles and other biohazardous items.
Payment for cleanups will be issued on an hourly basis depending on the number of crew members involved. The rate is $2,721.05 per hour for a 1-5 person crew, $5,973.46 per hour for a 6-15 person crew and $10,996.50 for a 16-30 person crew, averaging around $951 per person per hour.
The city is also responsible for the costs of 25% of materials used and rental equipment.
In 2023, the city spent a total of $8,066.08 on clearing homeless encampments, according to records obtained by ABC17 News in 2024.
The cost of any singular cleanup is capped at $50,000.
In no circumstances are contractors to interact with residents of encampments. In the case of a disturbance, they are instructed to contact the Columbia Police Department.
EnviroServe specializes in making waste management sustainable nationwide, focusing on alternative solutions to waste management, according to their website.
