The Denver City Council safety committee approved a contract extension Wednesday, despite controversy regarding the firm’s cleaning of homeless camps.

The move pushes the contract extension to the full council for a public hearing and final vote in the coming weeks.

The company, Environmental Hazmat Services, is contracted by the city to dispose of hazardous waste in public spaces. When cleaning homeless camps, the company is also responsible for collecting and storing items belonging to camp residents for them to collect later.

During Wednesday’s committee meeting, several community members accused the firm’s workers engaging in abusive behavior during camp cleanups.

“I’ve heard them insult and call names to encampment residents … I’ve personally seen them confiscate and requisition property for their own personal use … I’ve seen them throw away encampment residents’ property that was specifically requested to be stored,” said Denver resident Lauren Echo.

Other callers claimed the workers have mocked homeless residents, played with the residents’ belongings and intentionally broke belongings, like snapping tent poles.

Some on the council members alleged the firm left camps they had cleaned covered in trash, including one that allegedly had 2,000 pounds of refuse left over.

Environmental Hazmat Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations.

In response to the complaints, the contract extension would require the firm’s workers to undergo sensitivity training, participate in on-site performance reviews and have cleanings signed off by city staff, according to the contract.

“The purpose of this contract is to protect the public health of all residents and city employees,” said Will Fenton with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.

Of the community members who spoke Wednesday, half were in favor of extending the contract and half were opposed. Those in favor spoke of the need for cleaning services due to unsanitary conditions throughout the city.

Council members seemed similarly split, voting in support of the contract extension but listing many criticisms of the company’s practices.

Councilwoman Robin Kniech said she was “concerned” about workers throwing away tents that have any food in them, because food waste is considered hazardous waste. Other examples of common hazardous waste include drug paraphernalia, human/animal waste and propane tanks.

Councilman Paul Kashmann said he believes the cleanings of homeless camps should be supervised by an independent oversight board to prevent the kind of inappropriate behavior that’s been reported.

In the end, though, the committee unanimously approved the contract extension, calling the cleaning service “necessary.”

“Although we may not all agree with this contract, we do need to do something about this issue,” said Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval, adding that she participated in a camp cleanup over the summer, during which she found a tent filled with nearly 1,000 syringes.

Of the $1,570,061 provided to the cleaning service annually, approximately $750,000 to $900,000 is spent on homeless camp cleanups alone, according to city data.

In addition to cleaning camps for the Department of Public Health and Environment, the cleaning company is used by Denver Parks and Recreation, the Department of Safety and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

If approved by the full council, the contract would be extended two years to end on Oct. 10, 2023. There would be no change to the contract amount.