Bulk pickup is April 20-24; e-waste drop-off is April 25

WEST HAVEN, April 2, 2020 — The next pickup week for bulk trash is April 20-24.

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 J. 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.

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.

In response to coronavirus concerns, the city has suspended mattress drop-off until further notice.

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.

Leaf bags are picked up until June 1 and from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, and grass bags are picked up from May 18 to 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.

In response to COVID-19 concerns, the city has also suspended brush pickup and closed the compost site until further notice.

For electronic items, including TVs, the next drop-off day for e-waste 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’s highway maintenance garage, 1 Collis St.

The city 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.

Details at 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.

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

DPW commissioner thanks US Foods for helping church

WEST HAVEN, March 30, 2020 — Public Works Commissioner Tom J. McCarthy has issued a statement thanking US Foods for helping Vertical Church, 225 Meloy Road, to feed those in need.

“I would like to extend an enormous thank-you to US Foods and company representative Josh Smith for their recent act of generosity to use a refrigerated truck in these unprecedented times,” McCarthy said. “The refrigerated equipment has allowed Vertical Church to expand its food offerings for those in need to include perishable items — eggs, milk, frozen meats — and fresh fruits, in addition to the nonperishable items the church has been offering.

“My thanks also go to Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and Councilman Robert Bruneau, D-9, for their leadership to ensure this humanitarian action took place.”

#WESTIESSTRONG