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The City of Toledo’s Division of Solid Waste will begin operating under formal rules for refuse and recycling collection on Tuesday, August 24.
After making the change to automated collection in 2009, the Administrative Rules of the Director were not updated to reflect the changes in operations and services. Public Service Director David Welch and Ed Irelan, Commissioner of Solid Waste have worked to develop the updated rules over the last several months after looking to other automated communities for best practices and consulting with Toledo City Council for input and feedback.
The most significant change that residents will notice is the move to quarterly bulky pick up. Beginning August 24th residents may call for free bulky pick-up once per quarter. Additional bulky service will still be available, but residents will be assessed a $50 fee per scheduled pick-up.
The rules additionally provide for residents to purchase one additional refuse cart or to swap out smaller carts for a larger size if they find their original choice does not allow enough room for their weekly refuse. There are no additional monthly fees for an additional cart - only a one-time cost to disperse the new container. Additional containers are available for purchase and pick-up at the Hoffman Road Landfill.
An additional service that will now be offered is the Solid Waste Accommodation Program. The Division of Solid Waste, with input from the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, has developed the Solid Waste Accommodation Program (SWAP). Individuals who, due to a medical condition, are unable to take their refuse containers to the curb may take their bags of trash to the curb without their refuse cart for collection by a bulk truck. The program requires medical documentation from a physician to qualify. To register for SWAP, residents may contact the Division of Solid Waste at 419.936.2511.
Finally, residents may notice green stickers on their refuse or recycling carts. The Division of Solid Waste will continue to work with residents to educate them on the solid waste collection rules to ensure their refuse continues to be collected, neighborhoods remain clean and that the service is operated in an efficient manner. Residents will be reminded about the importance of cart placement, overstuffed carts, bulky items that cannot be collected without a scheduled pick-up or non-recyclable items in recycling containers. While fines have always been a tool available for enforcement of City refuse collection policies, they are to be used as a last resort for repeated violations of the rules.
Information about refuse and recycling rules including tips for proper cart placement, bulky pick-up, applications for the purchase of additional carts and information about SWAP are available online at www.toledo.oh.gov. Residents with questions may also contact the Division of Solid Waste at 419.936.2511.
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