Here are the most important things to know about trash pickup:

• Weekly trash pickup is on Monday morning


• The dumpster must be close enough to the alley or street for the mechanical arm to reach it. Dumpsters that are not accessible will not be emptied.


• All trash bags must be inside the dumpster. Do not put any trash outside the dumpster. If you have extra trash, put it in a neighboring dumpster Sunday evening.


• Take your dumpster in, off of the sidewalk or out of the alley, Monday after it has been emptied.


• Put your trash inside closed trash bags to keep the trash from blowing when the dumpster is emptied


• Heavy trash pickup is on the second Friday of each month.


• You may place up to two heavy trash items out per month.


• You must call 327-4622 to have refrigerators or air conditioners hauled away.

Here are the details:

Weekly Trash

Each household has a personal dumpster that they wheel out to the curb or the alley on trash day. The dumpster is emptied by a mechanical arm on the trash truck. There are no “trash men” to pick up trash bags, therefore any trash left outside the dumpster will not be picked up and will eventually be torn up by pets or “critters” and scattered through the neighborhood. Also, because the container is emptied by a mechanical arm, the dumpster must be placed correctly, facing the alley or street, so that the arm can reach it.

Trash should be put in closed bags so that loose trash does not blow when the dumpster is emptied. If your dumpster is full on a given week, you can use the extra space in a neighbor’s dumpster. It is best to do this on Sunday, after the dumpsters are set out, so that you do not inconvenience your neighbor. If your household regularly generates more trash than will fit in one dumpster, you may order another dumpster for a fee. Call 327-4622 to order an additional dumpster.

Trash dumpsters must be removed after they are emptied from the sidewalk in areas that do not have alleys. Dumpsters should also be removed from the alleys and stored in back yards or garages. Removing the dumpster from the alley will prevent illegal dumping and will keep the alley neat.


Heavy Trash

Heavy Trash pickup is on the second Friday of every month. Avoid putting heavy trash out early, it will only junk up the alley. If heavy trash is not picked up on the designated day, call the MAC line (327-4622) to report it.


Special Note about Refrigerators and Air conditioners: You must call the MAC line (327-4622) to get air conditioners and refrigerators hauled away because they contain Freon. They will haul them away if you call, but they will not pick them up with regular heavy trash. Refrigerators must have the doors removed or sealed to prevent children from getting trapped in them.
See the heavy trash web page for more information.


Other Trash

It is important to remember that there is no “cleanup crew” that goes around cleaning streets and alleys. If you see trash in front of, or behind, your home take a moment and pick it up. It is a good practice to clean up trash in the alley, particularly around your property, each week when you bring in the dumpster. It only takes a few extra minutes. Trash also collects next to the curb, where cars are parked and in the esplanade. Take a few minutes when getting out of your car to collect the trash in the street and esplanade.

By cleaning up the trash, you not only make things look better but you also set the standard for the neighborhood. Other residents and visitors take a cue on what is expected of them from the general condition of the neighborhood. If we all do our part and follow some basic guidelines, we can keep our neighborhood clean and free of trash.