Rizzo sanitation competitor not surprised at FBI corruption probe

For one local sanitation company owner, the way Rizzo handled its business, hasn’t smelled right for years.

“We’re losing money because we can’t get any jobs,” said Dominik Tringali Sanitation. “It doesn’t add up when you’re getting 50 cities. You’re batting a thousand. Every city that comes up, you get the job.”

Tringali says he wasn’t surprised that Rizzo’s name was connected to at least two FBI investigations of bribery and bid rigging. He wondered if the alleged crimes would ever come to light. 

"If you are on the take it would be hard to say something bad about them," said Tringali.

Tringaili, based in Troy, has been in the trash business since 1982. He says because of Rizzo, the chance to bid on jobs just isn’t there. He lost clients in Grosse Pointe, Harrison Township, and Harper Woods.

"The most recent job we are losing is Hazel Park which they gave to Rizzo on a no bid deal."

When they did make a bid?

"They say ‘Well Dominic they are $300,000 dollars cheaper, what do you expect us to do? We have to give them the job.’"

According to the owner of Tringali, the whole corruption went beyond bribery with Rizzo. He mentioned that when his trucks were parked at a landfill, employees of Rizzo would approach his employees asking them to jump ship.

"They’d say ‘Hey, come work for us. We're going to give you more money, work for us.’"

Tringali says he’s never had to cut employees, but he did stop taking a salary himself.

"Everywhere you go you see red."

Rizzo’s traditional red trucks are slowly becoming a thing of the past. The parent company G.F.L. is removing the logo on each and every truck and dumpster. They’re painting them green in an attempt to get a fresh start in terms of perception.

For the overall business of hauling trash, Tringali hopes this recent FBI probe will start to clean things up.

"It would be a lot better if this didn't go on. I think it will probably stop for a while.”