By Jim Bloch
It just got easier to put oversized items to the curb in St. Clair for trash pickup.
At its regular meeting May 19, the city council voted unanimously to approve an addendum to the city’s agreement with Waste Management for solid waste collection, disposal, recycling and composting.
Instead of two bulk items, residents may now put “a reasonable amount of items” out for pickup. Residents still must call Waste Management to pick up the items. Collection day for bulk items throughout the city is Friday.
The parties entered into the agreement in 2009, and it has been amended on multiple occasions, the last in December 2023.
“St. Clair and Waste Management now desire to add specific language to this amendment regarding bulk services collection,” said City Superintendent Quentin Bishop, reading from the addendum, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on YouTube. “Bulk services are to read that scheduled collection will take place on Fridays. While it is noted that the number of bulk items is not addressed in the original contract dated Oct. 1, 2009, it is understood between Waste Management and St. Clair that a reasonable amount of items will be collected upon scheduling by the resident (and/or St. Clair).”
“That’s key,” said Bishop. “The resident still has to call Waste Management to schedule a bulk pickup.”
The phone number is 866-797-9018.
“The definition of bulk items does not change,” Bishop said.
“So, you struck ‘no more than two items’?” asked Mayor Bill Cedar.
Yes, said Bishop. “I had that struck because I did not feel it was worth getting into a headache about what (constitutes) two items.”
For example, is a dining room set one item? Or does the table, each extension piece and each chair count as a separate item?
Bishop said a better solution was “a general, reasonable amount of bulk items.”
Council member Mitch Kuffa asked if bulk items were defined as bigger than the new 96-gallon trash cans used by all residents and introduced earlier this year.
“It’s things that can’t fit into the can,” said Bishop. “And things with Freon it them, you should not be putting out to the curb.”
Refrigerators, air conditioners, freezers and dehumidifiers are examples of appliances that use Freon, a brand name for a gas that absorbs heat. Freon and other refrigerants may pose a threat to the ozone layer and may intensify climate change. They should be removed from the appliance by a professional before it is thrown away.
There are a few other items that Waste Management does not collect. The company “does not accept hazardous waste or materials such as oil paint cans, motor oil, tires, propane tanks, automotive parts or construction material.”
The final vote was 7-0.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
