ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — Visit the Villas at Meadow Ridge in St. Charles County and you'll instantly see the neighborhood nuisance.
"This is a very unhealthy situation," said Judy Robinson, the president of the neighborhood association.
At the foot of almost every driveway, there are piles of trash and overflowing garbage bins.
"We're worried that critters will come out," said neighbor Kay Lindsay. "It's just been a big worry. Plus it's just awful looking."
It's a waste problem that's been building since last week.
Meridian Waste was a no-show for their scheduled weekly pick-up, prompting neighbors to call and complain.
"They wouldn't answer," Robinson recalled. "A recording would come on, saying leave your number and we'll get back to you."
But those calls were never returned, according to neighbors. All the while, the trash piles continued to grow and sit out in both the heat and rain.
Lindsay said: "We thought about taking it in, but then they assured us the next day it would be picked up."
Fast forward to Friday -- the second week the subdivision has had no trash service from Meridian Waste.
"And now we have another week of trash we're putting out for today," Lindsay said.
To everyone's delight, neighbors said a Meridian driver finally showed up and hauled it all away.
But it might be too little too late.
"They should live up to what we're paying them for. They just haven't done it," Lindsay said.
Robinson said this is the latest problem they've had with Meridian Waste over missed pickups.
Now she said the neighborhood association is looking to get out of their contract with the company.
It's a deal they inherited when their previous supplier was bought by Meridian.
And if all else fails, Robinson said she's got a creative solution.
"Go get a rental truck, load it all up and put it on their front door," she joked.
Meridian blamed the disruption in service on the Memorial Day holiday and "driver confusion."
The St. Charles County Health Dept. confirmed they're aware of the problem and are looking into the complaints.
The neighborhood is the latest in the area to go public with their displeasure with Meridian's performance.
5 On Your Side previously reported on the hundreds of complaints in St. Louis County that prompted officials to put Meridian on notice.
The company's also been accused of intentionally mixing recyclable materials with yard waste and trash.