You might have driven down the street on collection day and noticed containers with lids flipped open and trash or recyclables reaching toward the sky. You might have even done this at your house. You can probably imagine that these overfilled, open containers result in some litter. But did you also know that sometimes the trucks can’t empty them?
With our automated collection system, a mechanical arm reaches out from the truck to grab and lift your containers. When the lid is closed, as it should be, the arm smoothly lifts the container up and over the top of the truck. Once above the truck, the arm tips the container, much as your wrist tips when you drink from a glass you are holding. Gravity does the rest. When a container is overfilled and the lid is left open, items sticking out of the top may be squeezed out onto the ground, may get caught as the container is lifted, or may cause the container to tip and spill onto the ground.
Help keep your neighborhood tidy and make sure your curbside containers can be properly emptied. Follow these simple tips:
DO
• Close the lids on all of your containers.
• Bag garbage that will be placed into your waste container.
• Toss only LOOSE recyclables into the All-in-One Recycling™ container. The exception is plastic bags and plastic wrap, which should be placed into a plastic bag that is tied shut, creating a “bag ball.”
• Place only recyclables into the recycling container (see “What Can Be Recycled?” at right).
• Break down and flatten boxes before recycling. If needed, cut cardboard into pieces no larger than about 18 by 18 inches.
• Empty food and beverage containers. Wipe or rinse out food residue, as needed.
• Place containers at least 2 feet away from each other, as well as mailboxes, telephone poles, or parked cars.
• Roll containers to the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day. If you aren’t an early riser, set out your container the night before collection.
• Place containers with the wheels and handles facing your house.
DON’T
• Don’t leave the container lids open.
• Don’t place bagged garbage on top of your waste container.
• Don’t bag your recycling.
• Don’t overfill containers. Save extra materials to be placed in containers the following week. You can also drop off materials at the Transfer Station, where fees will apply for some items.
• Don’t put any of these items into your recycling container: single plastic bags (instead bag all bags together); takeout coffee cups; clothing and textiles; hoses and cords; tissues, napkins, and paper towels; or household batteries.
• Don’t place cactus, yucca, or other succulents into your yardwaste container. These materials should go into the waste container.
If you have questions, please call Republic Services at 866-238-2444.