City issues schedule of bulk trash pickups

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

The 2024 bulk trash pickup weeks are April 22-26 and Sept. 16-20. 

West Haven residents are reminded to separate metals, recyclables and regular trash from bulk trash and put them out no more than 24 hours before pickup. Violations carry a $100 fine per daily offense, acting Public Works Commissioner Robert Sandella said. 

Residents are also reminded to “Put a Lid on It!” and use lids on all trash cans. Rain-soaked trash costs West Haven 10 times more at the dump, according to Sandella, adding that using trash can lids will save the city money by reducing the weight of trash and cost of tipping fees. 

Bulk items include couches, chairs, tables, carpeting, padding and fencing, which may not exceed 6 feet in length. No building materials, tires, mattresses, propane tanks or hazardous waste are accepted. 

Options for disposing of building materials include renting a dumpster or bringing the materials to a disposal facility for a fee. 

Tires and mattresses are not considered bulk trash and will not be collected. 

Tires can be brought to Town Fair Tire, 63 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $2.75 per tire. 

To dispose of mattresses, residents must buy mattress bags from the Department of Public Works and put them out for pickup on their weekly curbside collection day from April 1-Oct. 4. The bags cost $30 each. 

Hazardous waste can be dropped off for free at HazWaste Central, 90 Sargent Drive, New Haven. HazWaste is open Saturday mornings from mid-May through October. 

Propane tanks can be brought to Taylor Rental, 304 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $10.60 per tank. 

The amount of bulk trash per collection is limited to 6 cubic yards, which is equal to a pile of trash about 6 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4.5 feet high. 

Homeowners are required to rent a dumpster or hire a junk removal service at their expense if trash exceeds 6 cubic yards. Otherwise, trash exceeding 6 cubic yards will be left at the curb, and a $100 fine per daily offense will be imposed, Sandella said. 

To prevent a potential fine, property owners should familiarize themselves with the city’s trash guidelines at https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/260/Bulk-Trash-Pickup-Other-Services. 

Bulk trash must be generated by the customer at the residential unit where it is collected. Trash will not be collected if it is generated by anyone other than the resident of the home. 

Bulk items must be separated and orderly. Do not place them next to a mailbox or utility pole or close to a fence, Sandella said. 

Also, do not place bulk items in front of a vacant lot or home — they will not be collected, he said. 

In addition to bulk trash, the city picks up metals, including household appliances, also known as white goods, and toilets. To schedule a pickup on their curbside collection day, residents must call the Highway Department at 203-937-3644 or 203-937-3585. Appliance doors must be removed. 

The 2024 leaf bag pickup schedule is April 15-Dec. 13. The bags are picked up on residents’ weekly collection days. Leaves and grass clippings must be in separate biodegradable paper bags and will not be accepted if they are in plastic bags. 

The city also picks up brush that is cut into 3-to-6-foot lengths and tied in small bundles, no more than 70 pounds. Logs and stumps are prohibited. 

Residents can bring grass clippings as well as bagged leaves and untied brush to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave., from 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and, starting in June, from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays. The first cubic yard of compost is free with proof of residence. Additional compost costs $25 per cubic yard. Residents must bring buckets and shovels. 

For a $50 fee, the Public Works Department will deliver up to 2 cubic yards of compost to homes in West Haven. Prior to the pickup or delivery of compost, residents must make a cash payment in the public works office on the third floor of City Hall, 355 Main St. No credit cards or personal checks are accepted. 

For electronic items, including TVs, the 2024 e-waste drop-off days are Feb. 3, April 20, June 15 and Sept. 28. 

Residents can drop off electronic recyclables — typically anything that contains a circuit board or needs a battery — from 8 a.m.-noon at the city garage, 1 Collis St. 

West Haven is partnering with Take 2 Inc. of Waterbury, a state-approved recycler and collector of universal e-waste devices, to collect residential electronic items on a quarterly basis. 

The collection is free for residents who have such items as computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, modems, computer mice, tablet computers, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, photocopiers, fax machines, scanners, video game machines, digital media players, personal digital assistants, stereo equipment, telephones, cellphones, cameras, microwaves and other small appliances. 

Anything that has refrigerant, including air conditioners and dehumidifiers, is not accepted. Those items are considered white goods, and residents are asked to schedule a pickup on their curbside collection day by calling the Highway Department. 

For details, go to https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/263/E-waste-Drop-off. 

For the e-waste drop-off, residents are asked to heed the following guidelines: 

      — Stay in your vehicle. 

      — Vehicles will be spaced out. Event workers will remove electronics from your vehicle. There should be no interaction between residents and workers. 

      — No mattresses or box springs will be disposed of at the moment. 

      — No smoke detectors, ballasts or hazardous waste — lighter fluid, liquids, paint — will be accepted. 

      — Electronic items left curbside will be tagged with information on the e-waste schedule and must be removed, or face a potential fine. 

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