The new trash and recycle program is an advanced system of waste and recycling collection and disposal. The new system is automated, which means that the truck is equipped with a mechanical arm to lift and empty your new trash and recycle container provided by the City. This program is designed to improve efficiency, make the task of putting trash and recycle material easier and cleaner, improve the appearance of our City, and to keep animal, rodents, and other pests away from the primary food source.

Note: Please place your trash and recycle carts about three feet apart at the curb so the truck's mechanical arm can lift with ease to avoid obstructions.

How Does the New Trash/Recycle Service Work?

Each resident will be given a new, wheeled cart for garbage. Residents who wish to participate in recycling may signup at our 3-1-1 Call Center at 330-375-2311 or by visiting our website. If you are calling from a home telephone inside the city limits, you can just dial 3-1-1.

On your regular collection day, place your household trash (all bagged) in your new cart and place your recycle materials (bagged in blue or clear bags) in your new, blue cart. These carts must be placed at the curb by no later than 4:30 a.m. on your normal collection day.

All bagged trash must be placed inside of the trash cart; if not, it will not be collected.

To Collect and Serve: Your New Efficient Service

Your new carts are an important part of the City's new trash and recyclable removal program. Both City carts have enough capacity for your family's household trash and proper recycle materials. Any household trash not properly contained (bagged) within the cart(s) will not be collected.

Large Bulk Items and Special Pickups are also available (see below for details).

What to Dispose of in Your New Trash Cart

Your cart is designed for regular household garbage in bags. All bags should be drained of any excess liquids and tied to prevent odors and insects.

What Not to Throw Away in Your New Trash Cart

• Recyclables
• Demolition / Construction materials
• Roofing material, plaster, dirt, sand gravel, bricks, and drywall
• Hot ashes
• Dead animals
• Paint / Motor oil
• Flammable liquids
• Hazardous waste (oil, auto fluids, etc.)
• Auto parts
• Matches of any quantity
• Bleach / Chemicals
• Concrete, Cement

What to Dispose of in Your New, Blue Recycle Cart

Please place the below recyclables in a blue or clear bag:

• All metal food, beverage cans, aluminum trays, aluminum foil, glass bottles, jars of any color, rigid plastics marked #1 thru #7 such as milk jugs, plastic bottles, newspapers, magazines, junk mail, or phone books

Or

What Not to Throw Away in Your New, Blue Recycle Cart

• Household trash (garbage), Construction / Demolition materials
• Styrofoam
• Plastic bags
• Yard waste
• Wax cartons
• Paint cans / Motor oil
• Oils, Flammable liquids
• Batteries
• Light bulbs
• Wire hangers
• Clothes
• Styrofoam egg cartons
• Hazardous waste (oil, auto fluids, etc.)
• Concrete, Cement

Large Bulk Item Pickup: Weekly on your normal collection day

The City will also provide weekly pickup service of large items at no additional cost to you. Large items are furniture, dressers, mattresses, couches, bookcases, wood and branches (bundled, tied and no longer than 4 feet long), carpet (rolled, tied and no longer than 4 feet long), fencing (rolled, tied, no concrete and no longer than 4 feet long), house doors, storm windows, storm doors, bicycles, basketball hoops, and floor model televisions.

These items must:

• Be separated by three feet from your City container(s)
• Placed on the curb before 4:30 a.m. on the day of collection.
• Not be placed on the curb prior to 4:30 p.m. on the day before collection
• Not be co mingled with loose garbage or bagged garbage

Note: any loose or bagged garbage outside your trash container may result in your being assessed a fine.

Remember to bag all loose garbage, secure the bag with a tie, and place in your new trash container.

Special Pickup

The City will provide a Special Pickup for our City residents. Special Pickups consist of house, garage, and moving out cleanouts of household trash. Each home will be allowed two Special Pickups per year on your normal trash collection day. Special Pickup trash from your property must not exceed 20 yards. Two allowable Special Pickups will be offered at no additional cost. But, each will be limited to 20 yards of household trash per pickup. Please pre-schedule your Special Pickup with our 3-1-1 Call Center at: 330-375-2311, or call 3-1-1 from any household phone in the city.

Options for Excessive Special Pickups Over 20 Yards

For this, residents will have to purchase a dumpster from a licensed private hauling company. The dumpster costs range from $240.00 to $390.00. The amount of time you may be allowed to keep these dumpsters ranges from seven to 14 days.

Another option for the resident would be to contact a contractor: Got Junk at 1-800-Got-Junk or 330-867-5865. Please make sure that your Special Pickups are separated by three to five feet from your new cart(s).

White Goods Appliances

The City will continue to provide a pickup of White Good items. White Goods include: washers, dryers, stoves, furnaces, metal shelving, metal items, swing sets dismantled, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, metal sinks, refrigerators, and dishwashers. Please have your White Good appliances and/or metal items on the curb before 4:30 a.m. on your normal collection day. Do not place your White Good items on the curb prior to 4:30 p.m. the day before your collection day.

Please have your White Goods items separated by three to five feet from your new cart(s).

Maintaining Your Trash/Recycle Carts

All garbage must be disposed of in tied bags. Keep lid closed at all times. Periodically, wash the interior and exterior of your City carts with soapy water.

Missing or Stolen Containers

Your container has been assigned to a specific address. If it is lost or stolen, please call our Call Center at 330-375-2311 or 3-1-1 from any household phone in the City of Akron.

Being a Good Neighbor

How do I get rid of my hazardous materials?

A couple choices you can go with:

• Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Center, 1201 Graham Road (next door to Carter Lumber), Stow, OH 330-374-0383
  (open seasonally)

How will recycle pickup effect the cart system?

If you want to start recycling, sign up on our web site, or contact our Call Center at 3-1-1 or 330-375-2311 to sign up. You will receive a new, blue cart at no cost to start recycling.

What can I do with my old garbage cans when the new program starts?

Once you receive your new container(s), we will no longer service any other trash containers. If your old containers are at the curb after we have delivered your new one(s), we will dispose of your old container(s).

Are other cities in Ohio also participating in a cart program?

Yes, cities include Cincinnati, Columbus, Delaware, Wadsworth and Warren.

What is the overall benefit of this program?

• The carts offer a cleaner look for our community than the amount of trash cans, bags, and loose items at the curb.
• These carts are designed for less tipping over in high winds.
• The carts help reduce worker injuries and Worker's Compensation cost.
• The carts have a full warranty for 10 years. The lids are permanently attached to the carts.
• The carts are designed to keep animals out.

How will I receive my new cart?

Contact our 3-1-1 Call Center for assistance. The cart crew will deliver to each address along with proper instructions (brochure) on how to use it.

When will the cart(s) be delivered?

Within three days.

Can I place my large bulks such as mattresses, dressers, televisions, couches, carpet, etc. on the curb weekly?

Yes

When can I place extra bags outside my cart on the curb?

Only after placing your special pickup through 3-1-1 call center, our annual spring cleanup, and during the fall leaf removal program each year.

Can I still put tires out on the curb for pickup?

Yes, but keep them three feet away from your cart.

I am an elderly person. Will I have any problems getting my new cart to the curb?

Try out the new container for 60-90 days. If you are having difficulties, give the City a call for assistance.

How would I properly place my recyclable materials in my new cart?

Properly bag your recycle materials in a blue or clear bag. Items we recommend to bag are metal food cans, beverage cans, aluminum trays, aluminum foil, glass bottles, jars of any color, rigid plastics marked #1 thru #7, such as milk jugs and plastic bottles. You could also bundle or tie together newspapers, magazines, phone books, and cardboard (corrugated only.)

If I place extra bags of trash on the curb (outside the cart), will they get picked up?

No. The intent is to make sure all extra bags are inside your cart, not outside.

Can I spray paint my address on the cart?

No. The carts are the property of the City of Akron. Serial numbers will be hot stamped on each cart to verify address locations. Please do not deface the carts.

Will there be a limit of carts per household?

Yes. You can sign up for two additional trash cart and two additional recycle cart at a one-time fee of $50 each. Please note, if you move out of Akron, the carts remain property of the City of Akron.

If a customer purchased an additional cart and puts all of their carts on the curb, will they be charged extra?

No. The only charge that customers would be responsible for is the one-time only fee of $50 for each additional cart.

If the cart is knocked over, will the driver still pick up my trash?

No. But, if our sanitation driver accidentally knocks over the cart, he or she will set it back up for pickup. The carts will be somewhat difficult to knock over.

Will the new carts have wheels and a lid?

Yes.

If the carts are too difficult (or too large) for me to use, can I maintain going back to the old method of trash/recycle pickup?

Below are important questions/answers
on seniors signing up for Homestead

If a citizen is currently on Homestead, what is their current trash/recycle rate, per month, showing on their water bill?

If you are recycling, it’s $8.80 per month.

If you are not recycling, it’s $10.80 per month.

With the new postcard signup for Recycling purposes in Sanitation, what rate will a citizen on Homestead have to pay per month if they choose to Recycle?

$8.80 per month

What will the rate be if a Homestead citizen chooses not to signup for Recycling?

$10.80 per month

How would a citizen signup for Homestead?

The Summit County Auditor's office have applications available in their office as well as on their website. They would perfer to talk with any perspective Homesteader so they could "pre-approve" them before any application is sent out. Applications are accepted between the 1st Monday in January until the 1st Monday in June of each year. A separate late application for the previous year can also be applied for during this time. They can only go back one year per O.R.C.

Is there a website and phone number to apply for Homestead?

The office telephone number is: 330-643-2661

With the new changes coming up with the postcard signup, would current Homestead members have to reapply for Homestead?

Once on the Homestead, the County office are required to send a Continuing Homestead Application every January to the current applicants. The current applicants are to report any changes in income or ownership.

How long does the approval process take (if approved) when one signs up for Homestead?

If an applicant has all of their necessary documents needed, you can get an approval (if approved) in 15 minutes. If the Auditors Office is missing some of your needed documents, an approval (if approved) could take up to 2-3 weeks.

Once received, the application is processed immediately if all documents requested to verify income are attached.

What are the requirements a citizen must meet to get Homestead?

Three (3) easy requirements: 1.) No income requirement; age 65 or permanently and totally disabled regardless of age. 2.) Own the home or manufactured home as primary place of residence as of January 1 in year of application. 3.) Although not required, please provide a photocopy of picture ID for proof of age such as driver’s license, State of Ohio ID card or a current or expired passport.

What documents must a citizen have (when applying for Homestead) to receive their trash/recycle discount rates from their water bill?

Three (3) easy requirements: 1.) No income requirement; age 65 or permanently and totally disabled regardless of age. 2.) Own the home or manufactured home as primary place of residence as of January 1 in year of application. 3.) Although not required, please provide a photocopy of picture ID for proof of age such as drivers license, State of Ohio ID card or a current or expired passport.

What is the deadline to signup for Homestead?

File with the County Auditor’s office after the first Monday in January and on or before the first Monday in June each year.

If Homestead is approved by the June 5th, 2006 deadline, when will the approved applicant's discount appear on their water bill?

The following year in January.

Is there a fee to apply for Homestead?

No fee to apply

How does the process work between Summit County, Public Utilities (Water Dept.) , and the City Finance Dept. to make the trash/recycle discount rate happen for a new Homestead member?

After the June deadline, the Auditor's office will give a report to the City of Akron Water Dept. listing all properties that are receiving the Homestead Exemption credit. It would then be up to the Water Dept to make sure these individuals are receiving their proper reduced rate for trash/recycle.

How would a citizen, that applied for Homestead, get notified after being approved?

Currently, it is the applicants responsibility to call into the Summit County Auditor's Office to find out if they have been approved. Once approved, The County will send their approved list over to the Public Utilities Office,on June 30th, on this notification. At this point, it would be up to the Public Utilities Office to make sure the new Homesteaders are receiving their discount monthly rates on their water bill.