The South End is getting a new city trash contractor/service, and there will be some changes coming to the neighborhood on July 1st.
Briefly:
- Recycling will be picked up on both trash days, Tuesday & Friday
- Trash pickup begins at 7am
- Small blue bins are being phased out.
These changes will begin on Tuesday, July 1, 2014. The city will be delivering fliers to all homes and sending out postcards to all residents to inform them of the change.
The Details:
The city has several different trash contracts covering different areas of the city. The existing trash contract has been extended several times, so the city took this opportunity to ask for bids for new contracts.
Sunrise Scavenger of Hyde Park has won the contract for all downtown trash pickup.
Recycling
The biggest change is something we have been asking for - Recycling collection on both trash days. Single stream recycling means most of us now have more recycling than we do trash, and we no longer have to save it until Tuesday. (And, those who put recycling out on Friday now will have it recycled, and not thrown in the trash).
A reminder that Recycling can only be put out in clear plastic bags. The city is discontinuing the small blue bins, and eventually will just take them away. it is too easy for them to be kicked over, overflowing, or have paper blown out of them - all making the street a mess. We ask that you no longer use small blue bins. If you do use a blue bin, and the recycling is above the lip of the bin, you will get a trash ticket. If you want to 'throw out' your blue bin, put it IN a clear bag, and they should take it away. If you have one of the larger wheeled blue bins with a cover, they are fine and can continue to be used.
Pick-up times
Another big change is early trash collection. No more trash pickups going on until 3pm. Trash pickup will being at 7am, although at this time we don't know if they will start in the South End at 7am, and if both Thursday and Friday will be at the same times. Most of that will be ironed out as they iron the kinks out of the new service.
The less time trash is on the street, the less chance trash will become litter due to picking, animals, bad disposal, etc. Early pickup means the trash is on our street during fewer daylight hours. We ask residents to put trash and recycling out "as late as you can" to minimize trash curb time form our end. If you can, put trash out as you go to work in the morning. If that's too early for you, then put it curbside as late as you can the night before. the less time we have trash curbside, the better.
Proper trash disposal
Trash collection is only half the battle. Keeping streets clean is our re
sponsibility as well. Some guidelines will help you be a good trash citizen.
- Put trash out as late as you can - first thing in the morning is best
- Use a proper household trash bag that can be tied closed. City regulations say .9mil thickness minimum.
- Using take-out bags, foodies/cvs/shaws bags for trash or recycling is not acceptable. Using these bags will get you a ticket.
- For big items and electronics, call the city before putting them out (617.635.4500)
- Place Recycling in clear plastic bags only. No putting paper out in paper bags, no open cardboard boxes.
- Break down all boxes and lie them flat! open boxes collect trash, and will get you a ticket
- After trash day, clean in front of your home. if everyone cleaned the sidewalk in front of their building, our neighborhood would be spotless!
See out facebook page for
images of trash Do's and Don'ts for putting out trash
For full trash rules and information, see the
city trash web site.
