Salem To Begin Charging For Most Bulk Item Trash Collection

SALEM, MA — Salem residents will now have to shell out $20 to schedule the pick up of a bulk trash item as the city enacts the fees that the City Council approved in January.

The city had previously absorbed these costs as part of its trash and recycling budget but will no longer do so in an effort to encourage the reuse of these items and to offset rising disposal costs.

Before scheduling a bulk item pickup, residents are encouraged to look into alternatives for introducing it into the trash stream, including donations to a thrift shop or making it available through an online marketplace.

If a resident is unable to afford the fee, there is a hardship waiver to complete and submit to the Waste Reduction Coordinator at City Hall Annex, 98 Washington Street, 2nd floor Engineering.

Those who still need the items picked up through Waste Management can call the vendor at 1-800-972-4545 and follow the prompts to residential service. Up to two bulk items can be scheduled for pickup on a regularly scheduled recycling day.

Residents should arrange and pay for the pickup at least two days in advance of their preferred recycling days and not leave items curbside for more than 24 hours.

There remains no fee, at this time, for large "white" pick-up items such as dishwashers, dryers, stoves or washing machines.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)