By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
The next bulk trash pickup week is April 20-24.
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, Public Works Commissioner Philip J. Sissick said.
Sissick said the city expects a heavier-than-usual pickup because spring bulk trash week is traditionally the heaviest. Pickup may run a day or two behind schedule, he 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 Sissick, 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/box springs, 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/box springs 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 $3.75 per tire.
To dispose of mattresses/box springs, residents must buy mattress/box spring bags from the Department of Public Works and put them out for curbside pickup on the day that is scheduled by the department when the bag is purchased. Bags cost $30 for the first one and $20 each after that. They are payable by cash and available in the public works office on the third floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.
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 $10.64 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 ½ 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, Sissick 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, Sissick 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 next e-waste drop-off day is April 25.
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.
Batteries and anything that has refrigerant, including air conditioners and dehumidifiers, are not accepted. Those items are considered hazardous waste and can be brought to HazWaste Central.
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/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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