Bulky Item Blunders

Sunday, 4 May 2014 at 10:58

Woodstock residents still making mistakes when it comes to bulky item pickup

WOODSTOCK -- Questions around what oversized household junk can be picked up by removal crews found their way into council chambers Thursday.

Woodstock is in the midst of bulk item pick collection dates this month and City Engineer Harold de Haan says at different times each year, there are some residents seem to forget what items are acceptable for pick-up...

"Things can fit in your garbage are not allowed, things that you drop off on our HHW days or Bulk Item Drop Off Day are not allowed. So it's large items like mattresses, furniture, other items like appliances which can be dropped off at our yard."

Before you start making your huge pile of bulk castaways, de Haan says there's a five item limit for curb-side pick-ups.

He says anything which doesn't qualify and can be labelled as Household Hazardous Waste can be taken to a special depot this Saturday at the Public Works Yard, located at 944 James from 8am-to-12pm.

Electronics, tires and white goods (traditional household appliances) will also be accepted this Saturday.

Saturday, June 14th, (again from 8am-to-12pm) has been set aside as the only day this year where you can bring all large items normally picked up in the Bulk Item Collection to the James Street Yards, including construction waste.

For curbside pick up, de Haan says workers only go down roads once, and items destined for pick up need to be out on your road on the Monday morning at 7:30 of your neighbourhood's collection week.

He says any piles exceeding five pieces or classified as hazardous household waste won't be getting picked up and mentions what happens if by-law enforcement sees the same items again.

"By-law will go out and put a notice basically indicated why, or generally why the material was not picked and give homeowners then 48 hours to go out and remove the material."

If homeowners don't have items cleared by that time, they could face further notices which could also lead to fines.

Only units that currently receive garbage collection from the City of Woodstock Public Works Department will receive bulk items collection.

Community piles at the curbside will not be collected.

More info on what's acceptable for curbside pick-up in Woodstock can be found at: http://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/living-in-woodstock/bulk-item-collection.asp?_mid_=11989