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City of Columbus To Restore Free Weekly Curbside
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City of Columbus To Restore Free Weekly Curbside
Yard Waste Collection Monday
The City of Columbus will restore free weekly curbside yard waste collections Monday, April 19. The service, provided through a contract with Rumpke, will pick-up yard waste at 227,000 single family homes, the same as in 2008. The city's budget crisis in 2009 forced weekly free yard waste collections to be cut and replaced with a less expensive subscription-only service through Rumpke.
"We must continue to keep yard waste out of the county landfill," said Mayor Michael B. Coleman. "Yard waste recycled into compost can be used to beautify neighborhoods and it saves taxpayer dollars that would have been paid to dump at the landfill."
Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio rules prohibit the city from knowingly dumping yard waste at the Franklin County landfill. Yard waste includes grass clippings, leaves, branches, twigs, shrubbery and other organic waste generated during home gardening and landscaping activities. Residents can contact the city's 311 Customer Service Center at 311 or 645-3111 to learn which day is their yard waste pick-up day.
"The restoration of weekly curbside yard waste collection is a priority for City Council," said Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service Committee. "It is a service that our residents have told us time and time again they depend on to improve the quality of life in Columbus."
Yard waste must be put in biodegradable paper bags or rigid containers with the words yard waste on the container's side. Cut branches should be cut to no more than four feet in length and bundled with string or twine.
The contract with Rumpke is a three-year agreement that runs through March 31, 2013, with two one-year renewals following the end of the third year of the contract.
City of Columbus Yard Waste Fact Sheet
¨ Free weekly yard waste pick-up will be restored to 2008 levels on April 19, 2010
¨ Residents can contact the city's 311 Customer Service Center at 311 or 645-3111 to find out which day of the week is their yard waste collection day
¨ The weekly yard waste pick-up service will be provided to 227,000 single-family homes, the same level of service as in 2008 before the city's budget crisis forced the program to be cut
· The 227,000 single-family homes includes households that use 90 and 300-gallon regular trash containers (NOTE: Yard waste should never be mixed with regular trash)
¨ Yard waste includes organic waste generated during regular household gardening and landscaping activities, including:
· Grass clippings
· Leaves
· Twigs
· Branches
· Shrubbery
¨ Items that will not be collected with yard waste:
· Rocks
· Dirt
· Plastic bags
· Food waste
(Please call Rumpke at 1-888-786-7531 if you have questions about what materials are acceptable)
¨ To prepare yard waste for pick-up:
· Place yard waste in biodegradable (paper) bags or rigid containers marked "Yard Waste"
§ Bags are generally available for purchase at home improvement or grocery retails stores. Please do not line the paper bags with plastic bags.
· Cut branches to less than four feet in length
§ Tie the branches into bundles with string or twine
§ Each bundle should not be wider than two feet
¨ There is no restriction on the number of bags a household can put out for pickup
· Each container, bag or bundle must weigh less than 50 pounds (Containers meeting this requirement will likely have a 30-35 gallon capacity)
¨ Recycling yard waste saves tax dollars and is green:
· It saves tax dollars that would have otherwise been needed to dump yard waste at the landfill (NOTE: Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio rules prohibit the City of Columbus or others from knowingly dumping yard waste at the Franklin County Landfill)
· Extends the life of the County landfill
· Increases weekly refuse container capacity for residents
· Recycled yard waste can be composted and used in home gardens and landscaping to beautify our homes and neighborhoods
¨ The contract with Rumpke:
· Is a three year contract running through March 31, 2013, with two one-year renewal periods following the end of the first three years
· The first year totals up to $3,677,400.00 in funding from the City's General Fund
· Was approved by City Council at its February 22, 2010 regular meeting
¨ City of Columbus residents may still drop-off their yard waste, free-of-charge, at any of nine locations if they wish to do so. Please call ahead for hours of operation.
· Com-Til, the City's compost facility (no grass clippings): 7000 Jackson Pike, Columbus (614) 645-3152
· Kurtz Bros. and Mulch Manufacturing Inc. (leaves, small branches, grass clippings):
§ 2850 Rohr Road, Groveport (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 491-0868
§ 6055-C Westerville Road, Westerville (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 882-0200
§ 6279 Houchard Road, Dublin (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 873-2000
§ 6747 Taylor Road S.W. (Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.); (614) 864-4004
· Ohio Mulch:
§ 4120 Roberts Road, Columbus (Ohio Mulch); (614) 921-9330
§ 4665 Westerville Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 891-3242
§ 1600 Universal Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 445-4455
§ 537 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 863-0445
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Rick Tilton
Assistant Director
Department of Public Service