By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
The final bulk trash pickup week of 2018 is Oct. 8-12.
Residents are reminded to separate metals and recyclables from regular trash and to put out trash no more than 24 hours before pickup. Violations carry a $100 fine per daily offense, Public Works Commissioner Tom McCarthy said.
Bulk items include couches, chairs, tables, carpeting, padding, fencing and small amounts of bundled lumber, which may not exceed 6 feet in length. No building materials, mattresses or tires are accepted.
McCarthy said that although mattresses were formerly considered bulk trash, the city is no longer picking them up.
Most mattress retailers, however, will remove and recycle mattresses when a new mattress is purchased. Mattresses of any amount can also be dropped off for free from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays at Park City Green, 459 Iranistan Ave., Bridgeport.
The city is also no longer picking up tires on residents’ curbside collection days because of rising disposal costs, McCarthy said.
According to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, there are no statutes that require tire retailers to take waste tires, but most will when a new tire is purchased.
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, McCarthy said.
To prevent a potential fine, property owners should familiarize themselves with the city’s trash guidelines, which are posted on the Department of Public Works page at www.cityofwesthaven.com.
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, McCarthy said.
Also, do not place bulk items in front of a vacant lot or home — they will not be collected, he said.
For electronic items, including TVs, the final e-waste drop-off day of the year is Oct. 13.
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’s highway maintenance garage, 1 Collis St.
Anything that has refrigerant, including air conditioners and dehumidifiers, is not accepted. Those items are considered white goods, and residents are asked to put them out for pickup on their weekly collection days.
The e-waste drop-off is free for residents who have such items as TVs, hand-held video games, computers, monitors, copiers, scanners, microwaves, toaster ovens and other small appliances.
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