West Hartford Issues Alert On Trash, Recycling Services

Town of West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The town's public works department has issued an alert regarding properly taking out the trash and recyclables.

The goal is to ensure efficient services from the town-hired waste contractor, Paine's, Inc.

"In an effort to comply with trash collection rules and ensure the efficiency of our diligent haulers, here are some reminders on barrel placement and put-out protocol," wrote the Town of West Hartford Department of Public Works.

As a result, the town issued a list of protocols, including exactly how the different forms of waste barrels should look outside homes and businesses.

Among the protocols are:

• By 6 a.m., place barrels at the curb with the handle facing your home. The lid opening should face the street. This allows barrels to operate as designed during the emptying process.

• Do not overfill barrels. The lid must be able to close fully.

• Leave at least 3 feet of space between all barrels.

• Do not place the barrels too close to vehicles, structures or landscape features that could prevent access to the barrel or cause damage to surrounding property.

• Do not park cars in a manner that blocks barrels from being serviced.

• It is against Connecticut law to put yard waste in trash or recycling barrels. If yard waste is found in the barrel, the barrel will not be emptied.

• Yard waste barrels, bags and bundles are collected on the same day as bi-weekly recycling.

• Those in the Food Scrap/PAYT Pilot neighborhood should place food waste container on the ground, lid in locked position, 3 feet from other barrels.

"Trash and recycling material are collected by two different trucks," wrote the town. "If one barrel is emptied but the other is not, this does not mean your barrel was skipped. The second truck will empty the second barrel on it rounds."

Residents were also told to not re-fill barrels or claim to have been skipped or run barrels across the street.

"This is illegal and adds an extra burden to the workers and cost to the town," wrote the Town of West Hartford.