Schedule announced for bulk trash pickup, e-waste drop-off

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 6, 2020 — The 2020 pickup schedule for bulk trash is April 20-24 and Sept. 14-18.

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 Tom McCarthy 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, said McCarthy, 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, fencing and small amounts of bundled lumber, 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 can be brought to Town Fair Tire, 63 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $2.75 per tire.

Mattresses can be disposed of for free in a container at the city’s highway maintenance garage, 1 Collis St. Mattresses must be dry.

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 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, McCarthy said.

To prevent a potential fine, property owners should familiarize themselves with the city’s trash guidelines at Public Works.

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.

Details at Bulk Trash Pickup.

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 2020 pickup schedule for leaf bags is April 1-June 1 and Oct. 1-Dec. 31. The pickup schedule for grass bags is May 18-Nov. 20. 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 8 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and, starting in the spring, from 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays. The first cubic yard of compost is free with proof of residence. Additional compost costs $25 per cubic yard. Residents must bring their own buckets and shovels.

For a $50 fee, the Department of Public Works will deliver up to 2 cubic yards of compost to city homes.

For electronic items, including TVs, the 2020 drop-off days for e-waste are Jan. 25, April 25, June 13 and Sept. 19.

Residents can drop off electronic recyclables — typically anything that contains a circuit board or needs a battery — from 8 a.m.-noon at the highway maintenance garage.

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.

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

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.

Details at E-waste Drop-off.

For the latest news and information, subscribe to the city’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CityofWestHaven.

Reminders about Christmas trees, holiday trash pickup in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 6, 2020 — The city reminds residents not to put Christmas trees in plastic bags or stands for curbside pickup.

Lights must also be removed from Christmas trees. Plastic bags and other items can become tangled in the machine that grinds the trees into compost.

Christmas trees will be picked up in January and February only. Residents needing a pickup after Feb. 29 will be charged a $25 fee. Christmas trees can also be brought to the compost site at 1 Kimberly Ave.

Also, residents are reminded that four 2020 holidays will delay curbside pickup one day.

Affordable Waste Systems LLC of East Haven, the city’s private contractor for rubbish and recyclables, will not pick up rubbish, recyclables or metals on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

If a holiday falls on a weekday, pickup for that week will move ahead one day. But when a holiday like Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, only Thursday and Friday’s collections will move up a day.

Thanksgiving is also the only holiday that excludes metal pickup in those affected districts.

Separate metals and recyclables from regular trash.

Detailed information about the city’s trash and recycling guidelines is available at Bulk Trash Pickup.

Public info meeting set for upgrades to Frontage Road, Railroad Avenue

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 6, 2020 — The city is holding a public information meeting Thursday night for multimodal improvements to Frontage Road and Railroad Avenue.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. in the third-floor conference room of City Hall, 355 Main St. The snow date is Jan. 13.

West Haven residents, business owners, commuters and other interested individuals are encouraged to take advantage of the meeting to learn about and discuss the transportation infrastructure project.

Anyone seeking to obtain information or provide input regarding “State Project No. 156-178,” or those requiring language assistance, is asked to call City Engineer Abdul Quadir at 203-937-3577.

UNH hockey teams give back

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 6, 2020 — (Pictured): Players of the University of New Haven men’s and women’s hockey teams donated nonperishable food items to West Haven Youth and Family Services on Dec. 12.

UNH men’s coach Devin Bertrand, not pictured, reached out to Youth and Family Services Director Robert S. Morton, also not pictured, to collect food for West Haven families identified as homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Family therapist Sheila Hebert and family therapist intern Kate Melillo, a student at Southern Connecticut State University, are dispersing the food items on behalf of Youth and Family Services.

(City Photo/Robert S. Morton)

Register for adult fitness programs

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 6, 2020 — The Department of Parks and Recreation is kicking off a trio of adult fitness programs this month.

The department will offer Kripalu yoga, instructed by Mary Beth Colleran, beginning Jan. 7.

It will also offer eight-week sessions of cardio muscle toning and Zumba starting the week of Jan. 13.

Each program will offer a trial class for anyone at least 16 years old.

Go to www.whparkrec.com for program and registration information, or visit the department’s Painter Park office at 190 Kelsey Ave.