Updated Residential Trash Service Schedule to Begin January 29th

Updated Garbage Services to Begin January 29th

Green Environmental Services, formerly known as Ottawa Sanitation, will continue to be your trash service provider. Beginning January 29th, there will be some changes to your collection and the schedule of trash, bulky waste, and recycle services. 

Here are the most important things you’ll need to know:

• Trash trucks will now be automated, and new bins (polycarts) will be distributed to your residence.
• Your trash pickup day will be changing.
• Recycle pickup will be once a month, on the 4th Wednesday of the month.
• Bulky waste pickup service will also be once a month, with a different Wednesday for each section of town.
• Prices for service are changing.

Please read the following instructions carefully.

Guidelines and Placement Instructions 

All polycarts, both recycling and regular garbage pickup, must be placed within two feet from the curb or on the turnout of your driveway before 6:00am on your pickup day or the night before. Carts should be placed with the lid opening facing the street and handle facing the house. Carts should not be placed within five feet of mailboxes, fences, parked cars, or other objects. If you have multiple carts, please place them three feet apart. Please try to get everything in your cart so the automated arm can pick it up. Please do not overfill your cart so that the lid will close properly. Additional carts can be ordered from City Hall if needed. Bagging your trash before you put it in your cart will help prevent blowing trash when it is dumped.

Items not accepted for pickup:

• Tires
• Batteries
• Oil
• Paint
• Hazardous materials
• Dirt
• Cement
• Hot coals

Bulky items that will not fit in your cart will be picked up separately on your scheduled bulky pickup day. 

TRASH PICKUP INFORMATION

Your pickup day is on the lid of your trash cart. Please see the map on the next page for your schedule as well. Generally speaking, areas north of Highway 56/Ames St will have garbage pickup on Monday. From Ames Street south to High Street, including areas north of Highway 56 after the curve, will have garbage pickup on Wednesday. All areas south of High Street will have garbage pickup on Friday.

Trash Cost

The new cost for weekly trash collection is $16.73 for the first 96-gallon cart. Each additional trash cart will cost $5.00 Please note: All costs may be subject to additional fees. This does NOT include bulk pickup ($5.30/month, not optional) or recycling (optional). You must contact City Hall if you need more than one trash cart.

EDIT, JANUARY 17: The price for the second trash can is $5/month, NOT $8.40. We accidentally pulled info from an older proposal.

FEES: There is currently an admin fee of $3.25/customer/month and a 5% franchise fee. A Council Committee is currently discussing the fees, and nothing has been decided.

TOTAL MINIMUM BILL: As of today, January 17th, the minimum bill for one trash can, no recycling, and required bulk pick up, plus the admin fee, is $25.28.

For additional trash poly carts, contact City Hall at 785-594-6427. Please contact Green Environmental at 1-800-870-5393 Option 2 if you have any questions.

MONTHLY RECYCLE PICK UP SERVICE (Optional)

All recycling will be picked up the fourth (4th) Wednesday of each month. If you are currently enrolled in the Recycling program no action is needed. A Recycle polycart will be delivered to your residence. If you are not currently enrolled in the Baldwin City Recycling program, and would like to sign up, please contact City Hall at 785-594-6427. A cart will be delivered to your residence. The new cost for recycling bins is $12/month per bin. Please note: All costs may be subject to additional fees. If you need more than one bin, please contact City Hall.

The biggest change to recycling service, in addition to the new polycarts, is that glass will now be accepted. Never bag recyclables.

MONTHLY BULKY WASTE PICK UP SERVICE (not optional)

Bulky Waste should be placed at the curb by 6:00am on your pickup day. See the map on page 3 for bulky waste pickup schedule. The new cost for bulky waste collection is $5.30/month for up to two (2) cubic yards per month, which is about the size of four (4) 96-gallon polycarts. Please note: All costs may be subject to additional fees.

Bulky waste pick up is for household items not normally picked with your regular polycart residential trash pick up. A different truck will be employed for bulky waste pick up, not one of the automated trucks used for trash. Bulky waste must be in a size, weight, and length that will fit in the hopper of the garbage truck. It will remain the responsibility of the property owner to dispose of any non-allowable or hazardous items. 

Items should be set at least five feet from mailboxes, gas meters, cars, shrubs, or anything else that could interfere with hand loading or mechanical pick up. For the same reason, items should be set at least ten feet away from utility poles to prevent contact with overhead power lines.

Here's what we can pick up:

• All items must be able to be lifted and handled by two persons and manageable: 
• Discarded household appliances, hot water tanks, discarded furniture, mattresses. Extra large cardboard boxes (broken down and tied into tight bundles)
• Trees, limbs and wood scrap (tied and bundled, max length of four (4) feet and 18 inches in diameter, not more than 50 lbs)
• Fencing (up to 2 panels)
• Non-contracted remodeling waste, containerized (leftovers from do-it-yourself projects)

We are prohibited from picking up:

• Hospital/medical waste or hazardous waste of any kind
• Poisons
• Acids and caustics
• Explosives
• Dirt and rocks
• Bricks or concrete
• Railroad ties
• Sewage and liquid waste
• Nuclear materials, gasoline, kerosene, oils and other fuels
• Propane tanks 
• Degreasers, lubricants, brake fluid, antifreeze, batteries, tires and rims, car batteries
• Loose and non-containerized sheet rock or roofing items
• Paint
• Any contracted construction, reconstruction, demolition and repair waste,
• Storm debris
• Any appliances or items containing Freon

For additional polycarts, contact City Hall at 785-594-6427. Please contact Green Environmental at 1-800-870-5393 Option 2 if you have any questions.