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Business Profile

Garbage Removal

SEM

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Garbage Removal.

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for SEM's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Find a Location

SEM has 3 locations, listed below.

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    • SEM

      755 Governor Lea Rd New Castle, DE 19720-5512

    • SEM

      453 Pier Head Blvd Smyrna, DE 19977-8205

    • SEM

      PO box 987 New Castle, DE 19720

    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 69 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 4 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

    Sort by

    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/27/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      In the last 2 months, Trash Tech has not picked up our trash/recycling 3 times. They originally put out a statement online saying if you did not get your trash collected, it was because the heat is hard on the trucks and to leave it out the next day. We have always done this to no solution. I have called the company three times. The first time the woman stated she would give me a $5 credit and someone would call me with an update on my route. I never received a call. Seeing as though I pay a lot more than $5 a week for trash and recycling, this credit was bogus. The next time I called when our trash was not collected, she offered the same credit and told me it would be collected this week instead. She also said that if I cancelled my service I would not get a refund for what I’ve paid, which means I’m paying for them until 10/31/22 regardless. I called again when our trash was not picked up by end of business yesterday and the representative assured me that it would be picked up today. Trash was not collected, only recycling was collected. We are now facing possible fines from our borough for having trash cans on the street that are filled for weeks. This company not only makes false promises but will not credit the customer fairly and will not let you out of your contract even if they are not providing the services you’re paying for.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/27/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      We purchased a home in Port Deposit in May 2022 and they used Trash Tech so it was easy to keep it the same. We have had issues with pick up since the first month. Either they didn’t pick up the garbage in both cans or one can or they got the trash and not the recycling. I’ve had to call numerous times. They will send someone but it may be two days later so our cans sit out longer than HOA wants them to be out. This last month has been awful. Our pick up yesterday hasn’t happened so now I have 1/2 of the week before and now this past week. We are a household of 6!! We live along a wooded area and have had possum coming to get into the trash. I’ve cancelled service with the last pick up to be 9/2 but I’m sure they won’t be here. I just want all this garbage removed as it is a health concern. I feel that with the poor service I should also be partially refunded.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/23/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      The service with this low-class trash company is staggeringly bad! Continuous problems with trash pickup, long hold times, and rude/ignorant customer service staff (who definitely should not be answering a phone and dealing with the public). So I finally cancelled my service with them 2 or 3 weeks ago and asked them to pick up their two trash cans ASAP, as I did not want them sitting in my front yard for days. As it turns out, it's been weeks and the trash cans are still sitting out there. So I was forced to call them for the 3rd or 4th time, wait on hold for 30 to 60 minutes each, only to be verbally abused immediately by their customer service staff (in this case, definitely a black female who was incredibly rude and ignorant - she should be fired!!!!!). She told me that they would get to it when they had time. She could have cared a less about the incredible inconvenience of calling them and waiting for 30 minutes to speak with someone, nor did she care about my issue. One of the resolutions I want to see is for Trash Tech to fire the black female who spoke with me on August 18, 2020 at approx. 3 PM or thereabouts in an astoundingly rude and disrespectful manner.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/19/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      As of 8/19/22, TrashTech has not picked up my trash since 7/8/22 causing quite a build up of trash. I have paid my quarterly bill faithfully. I have tried seeking resolution with the company, however, they refuse to make it right. Fridays is trash pick up for us, our trash is put out every Thursday night. The company has tried to blame us for not putting trash out, I had to send pictures of proof showing them that trash has been out. I have countless emails to the business, they do not respond, the response that I have received has been "we have not forgotten about you" but no resolution, Regardless of being short staffed does not mean you don't have to service your paying customers, and short staff is not an excuse to not pick up trash.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/18/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I cancelled my service with Trash Tech on June 9, 2022. At the time of cancellation, Trash Tech informed me that their trash and recycling receptacles would be picked up from my property within 2 weeks. Over 9 weeks later, Trash Tech has still not removed the receptacles even after multiple calls to their office. The explanation is that the pick-up truck is being repaired.
      Please help me resolve this issue. I would like to have the trash/recycling receptacles removed from my property as soon as possible.
      Thank you,

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/13/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I pay for once a week trash pick up and every other week recycling pick up and they have not picked up my trash for a month and recycling in 5 weeks. I am paid up until the end of September and they tell you no refunds will be issued. I want them to pick up my trash and refund my money for the missed pickups.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:08/09/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Trash is not being picked up regularly and when not picked up it especially with the hot weather it creates smell and attracts insects and Varmints. I just want my trash picked up regularly just like the company expects their payments. Trash has not been picked up since 7/29

    SEM is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.

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