The city of Little Falls-run solid waste and recycling collection program will begin its routes Wednesday, and Mayor Robert Peters is excited to see the program get under way.
“In its first year this program will save our city $100,000 from the price we paid last year to have our solid waste and recyclables removed by a private hauler,” said Peters of the service which is expected cost the city just short of $320,000 in 2010. “If we can increase the level of recycling in the city the savings may even be more. This program will be a money-saver for the city of Little Falls, and I am excited to see our trucks and workers hit the streets and begin their duties.”
Here are five things to know about the city-run solid waste and recyclable collection service:
1. Solid waste and recycling collection will begin on the regularly scheduled days (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) for each section of the city at 7 a.m. and will continue until complete.
2. Residents should place their solid waste (garbage) in sturdy semi-translucent plastic bags that allow their contents to be visible for inspection. Solid waste in black bags will not be accepted.
Recyclables should be placed in the city issued blue bin and paper recyclables (cardboard, pizza boxes, newspapers, brown paper bags, glossy advertisements, magazines, telephone books, junk mail, etc.) should be placed in the blue bin or tied or bundled and placed in clear plastic bags for collection.
The city encourages residents to shred all personal information (Social Security information, bank statements, invoices, receipts, etc.) prior to placement at the curb for disposal.
Containers should not exceed 40 pounds.
3. Only one bulk item or one cubic yard (three feet by three feet by three feet) per residence may be put out each week on the same day as the scheduled garbage pickup. Bulk items are defined as large household items, such as a couch, chair, mattress, table, television, rug, lamp, cabinet, etc., and must not be too large or heavy to be safely lifted by two men.
Trash, construction and demolition debris must not exceed 40 pounds and must not be longer than five feet in length. Trash includes, but is not limited to, plastic toys, light bulbs, window glass, dishes, cooking utensils, etc. Wood must be bundled and tied. Trash does not include yard waste, gravel, concrete, rock or ashes. The city is not responsible for private contractor generated trash.
4. Special items recycled by the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority, such as hardcover books, athletic sneakers and computers, must be delivered directly to the authority’s recycling center on Leland Avenue in Utica during normal business hours and can not be placed at the curb for collection.
Household hazardous waste, such as paint, motor oil, chemical pesticides, fluorescent light bulbs, computers, monitors and other electronic scrap, can be delivered to the authority’s household hazardous waste management facility at no charge from April until October during normal business hours. For more information about the program, call the authority’s office at 733-1224.
Tires, for a small fee, may be delivered to the authority’s recycling center or residents may contact a private hauler to have them removed from their residence.
5. Residents unsure of how to dispose something are asked to call the Little Falls Board of Public Works at 823-0890 or the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority at 733-1224.
Little Falls, N.Y. —
