Courtesy photo
COUNTY News:
The Fall Brush and Bulk Item Collection started Monday, Oct. 7. The Environmental Services Division has been receiving a high volume of calls concerning the collection and this piece is meant to address many of the questions and comments received, and provide an update on collection progress.
The Brush and Bulk Item Collection program is offered to residents with curbside refuse collection four times a year in order to assist with the disposal of bulky items and brush (branches, leaves, pine needles, etc.). The program is limited to brush, furniture, mattresses and large appliances. These materials should be set out near the curbside in an area free of nearby obstructions according to the published collection schedule (see more info below). This includes overhead obstructions since a grappler truck is utilized.
For the sake of Brush and Bulk Item collection the community is subdivided into four areas based on normal trash pick day and location. These areas dictate when residents should set materials out, and were designed to limit the amount of time materials sit out at the curb prior to collection. For each Brush and Bulk Item collection, area 1 will be collected first followed by area 2 and so on until the collection is completed. It takes an estimated 1-2 weeks to complete collection in each designated area.
Area 1: Los Alamos Town Site residents with Monday or Tuesday trash service.
Area 2: Los Alamos Town Site residents with Wednesday, Thursday or Friday trash service.
Area 3: White Rock residents with Friday trash service.
Area 4: White Rock residents with Tuesday trash service.
For the current fall collection residents in Area 1 and Area 2 should have their materials out for collection and those residents in Area 3 should have them out at 8 a.m. by Oct. 21, and those in Area 4 should have them out at 8 a.m. by Oct. 28.
Residents have placed a large volume of material out for the fall pickup and therefore collection is taking closer to 2 weeks for each designated area. Therefore, we are still currently collecting material set out in Area 1. Collection is complete in the following areas: North Mesa, Barranca Mesa, Ponderosa and Quemazon, Collection is currently occurring in the Western Area and once that area is completed collection will move on to Area 2. The best way to track collection progress is to visit the Los Alamos County Environmental Services Facebook page.
The County is focused on diverting as much material as possible from the landfill and there are steps residents can take in regards to the Brush and Bulk Item Collection program to assist in accomplishing this goal. All residents are asked to place leaves, pine needles, and grass clipping set out for collection in paper yard waste bags instead of plastic bags. This allows the material to be mulched and fed into the composting system. Paper yard waste bags are available for purchase at local hardware stores and the Eco Station. Also, residents are asked to separate brush from other bulk items placed out for collection by creating two separate piles. This allows the County to efficiently collect the compostable organic materials separate from the bulk items.
To assist in the efficient operation of the Brush and Bulk Item collection program the Environmental Services Division asks that residents ensure that only acceptable materials are placed out for collection and that materials are placed in an area free of overhead obstructions and nearby cars, mailboxes, etc. Staff of the Environmental Services Division thanks the residents for their assistance and patience throughout the collection process. If residents have any questions or concerns they can find more information on the County Environmental Services website or can contact the Division at 505-662-8163.
