We get a lot of questions about large item pickup, so we thought it might be helpful to republish this Trash Talk which provides some frequently asked questions. (Please note that due to Labor Day, large item pickup in September will begin on Tuesday, September 6 at 7:00 a.m.)
What about large-item pick-up?
This service sets us apart from other communities. The first week of every month is long and tiring, but we can’t think of a better or cheaper way to provide an equivalent service.
So what are the rules for large-item pick-up?
On the first Monday of each month, we’ll collect almost anything. We have picked up everything from pianos to pie cabinets and from tree limbs to treadmills.
Still, as you might imagine, we have had to create some limitations:
1. At any one stop, we will pick up no more than nine cubic yards of materials (measured without crushing or compressing). If you set out more than that, you will need to pull some back until the following month.
2. We don’t accept hazardous materials or those which cannot be dumped at the landfill. Thus we won’t pick up motor oil, insecticide, paint (unless it is dried out), animal carcasses, and the like. We also can’t pick up tires, motor vehicles, lead acid batteries, or tree stumps.
3. Materials must be at the edge of the street. Any materials placed curbside will be considered trash to be removed.
4. Materials need to be sorted. Take a look at the details on our website.
5. Grass clippings and leaves must be bagged. Other vegetation must be stacked as neatly as possible, with branches no longer than eight feet. Your vegetation can also be placed in a Waste Management trash cart for regular weekly pickup. If you need an additional cart, for just $1.00 per month, give B-Connected a call at (540) 908-4212.
6. Please do not place items in a trash can. Lifting heavy cans is hazardous for our crew. Plus, we assume that anything at the curb is trash.
If we decline to pick up something under our rules or the ordinance, we will always send you a note explaining why. This doesn’t happen very often.
Many large items require collection by heavy machinery. If items are on your grass, the machinery might do some damage to your yard. You will need to repair any ruts or other damage. (This doesn’t happen very often, either.)
Finally, in large-item collection we have to be pretty serious about timing. Collection begins on the first Monday of the month at 7:00 a.m., and we need for your materials to be out at that time. Setting them out later can mess with our planning. Also, the ordinance prohibits large-item trash from being placed near the street more than 60 hours before collection. That means you can start putting out your large items out at 7:00 p.m. on the preceding Friday. It will take the Maintenance Department several days to collect everything throughout town, but rest assured we will get to it by the end of the week!