Lauderdale County residents may see an unfamiliar garbage truck heading down their roads after the county’s garbage provider was bought by a larger solid waste company.

Arrow Disposal Services Inc. was acquired by North Carolina based Meridian Waste effective Sept. 1, along with another solid waste company Evergreen Environmental Partners Holdings.

“Meridian Waste is in full growth mode, as exhibited by the company’s announcement of its largest acquisition yet of these impressive Alabama and Mississippi assets,” said Walter “Wally” Hall, Meridian Waste’s CEO, in a news release announcing the acquisition. “Our management team is very familiar with the Alabama and Mississippi marketplaces from previous roles in the industry.”

Lauderdale County Supervisor Kyle Rutledge on Thursday said he is encouraged after meeting with the company and learning many of the same ADSI employees the county has worked with will remain on board.

“We had a good meeting. They’re keeping all the same local people here,” he said.

Meridian Waste, which is coincidentally named and has no connection to the city of Meridian, is a much larger company than ADSI, Rutledge said, and that could end up being a good thing for county residents.

“We’ve got a few little things to work out, a few changes, but for the most part services will stay the same,” he said. “Hopefully, they’ll improve, they’ll be better because they’re a larger network, a larger company, with more resources on trucks and carts and other things.”

The company provides garbage service to more than 524,520 customers in eight states, operating residential, commercial and industrial garbage service, according to an email set to ADSI customers on Sept. 10.

In an emailed response to questions, Meridian Waste Chief Marketing Officer Mary O’Brien said there are no plans currently to change garbage routes or guidelines on what will be picked up. Should changes be needed in the future, she said, they will be done with full communication with Lauderdale County officials and residents.

Hitting the ground running, Meridian Waste has also ordered a truckload of new 95-gallon garbage carts to be distributed to new residences and as replacements for damaged ADSI carts. Not every county resident will receive a new garbage cart immediately, Rutledge said, but that may be something the county considers in the future.

Customers can continue to call 866-440-3983 with questions or concerns, O’Brien said, email CustomerCareMS@MeridianWaste.com or use the online submission portal at meridianwaste.com/ms.