Letter From Skip
A personal letter from the manager of Solid Waste Management, Mr. Frank W. “Skip” Decker III:
As we continue to move forward in these tough economic times, our goal remains the same, to offer the on-time collection of trash, recycling, bulk and brush. We continue to emphasize the importance of recycling to our customers in hopes that more residents will embrace recycling and help us to increase our overall recycling participation.
Twelve years ago, we had a very antiquated system, where not everyone had the opportunity to recycle and those that could were limited to only a few types of recyclables. Today, all residents and businesses have an opportunity to recycle using a dual stream collection process. One week, we will collect newspapers, junk mail, magazines, shredded paper, chipboard (cereal, cake and pasta boxes) and corrugated boxes. Then the following week we will collect aluminum and tin cans, plastic containers (#1 through #7), and glass bottles (all colors). These two weeks alternate throughout the year.
Two years ago the collection schedule for bulk and brush changed. Bulk will now be collected on the same week that bottles and cans recycling is collected. Brush will be collected on the same week that paper recycling is collected. Except during leaf season, where brush collections are halted. Bulk and brush items continue to be an area of challenge. The challenge is to continue to make residents aware that only six (6) bulk items can be placed out for collection, and not before 7:00 p.m. on the day preceding collection. Whether these are six (6) extra bags of trash or six (6) pieces of furniture, they all equate to bulk items. Bulk and brush must both be set to the curb since alleys are too constrained to allow their collection. Brush must be limited to a pile no larger than a standard pick-up truck (4’X8’). Brush must also be cut to 4' in lengths and not more than 4” in diameter. Residents need to also be aware that Solid Waste Management cannot pick up any brush or landscape debris that has been placed to the curb by a contractor.
Regular trash collection offers its own set of challenges. Since 90% of our residents now have their containers collected at the curb, our emphasis is to make residents aware of what they may throw into the trash container (what we call the “Big Blue”). NO hazardous waste, NO car parts and please NO surprises (such as an occasional deer carcass). You would be amazed at some of the things that citizens would have us collect. But these things that I mentioned all lead to several issues; possible delays in collection due to contamination and quarantine of a load, down routes due to trucks being broken due to what they collected, and separate trips to the transfer station to separate the non-collectable materials. We also request that residents do not overfill their Big Blues. If residents recycle with us, there should be no reason for their trash container to get filled in one week. Those residents who elect not to be involved with our recycling program are asked to ensure that their extra trash bags are securely tied and placed no closer than five feet from their Big Blue container for bulk collection the same day. It is also important to make sure that you follow the instructions located on the lid of the Big Blue for proper placement to the street.
In summation, let us be environmentally sound residents, recycle whatever you can, and please keep all trash contained in bags before placing in the automated containers. Please make sure to remove the automated container from the street or alley directly after service. Let us all be proud to live, work and play in the “Star City”.
To learn more about participating in our recycling program, please call 853-2000, Option 1.
Thank you for recycling!!
Frank W. “Skip” Decker III