Bulk Pickup Program Begins Tuesday

Time to make a pass through the basement: the Department of Public Works is kicking off its Bulk Pickup program Tuesday.

The new setup — approved earlier this year by the Board of Selectmen — replaces the town's traditional Spring Cleanup, which had received criticism due to unsightly piles of debris left curbside for long periods of time.

Starting this year, residents hoping to have junk hauled away must first make an appointment with the using the town's citizens service form or by calling 203-656-7374. Pickups will be made Tuesdays and Wednesdays through June 21, and each resident is limited to one per calendar year.

Items are limited to those too large to be carried by a car or SUV and should be placed curbside by 7 a.m. on the day of the appointment, according to DPW.

Prohibited items include paint, hazardous or liquid waste, sealed containers or barrels, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, pathological or medical waste, sheetrock, logs, stumps, leaves, grass clippings, and brush. Batteries should be brought to the town's transfer station.

Wood items left for pickup must be less than 4 feet long and 6 inches in diameter.

Refrigerators, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners require an additional fee of $15, which can be paid at DPW's office (2 Renshaw Road) or at the scale house. Residents paying at the scale house are asked to bring exact change.