Department of Public Works
Solid Waste & Recycling
Michael Pattavina, Waste Management Coordinator
Mailing Address: 26 Central Street, Suite 17
West Springfield, MA 01089-2763
(413) 263-3234; Fax: (413) 263-3130
Mission Statement
The DPW Solid Waste and Recycling Program's mission is to encourage West Springfield residents and businesses to consume less, reuse and donate materials, and recycle what cannot be eliminated or reused. The DPW plans, implements and maintains cost-effective waste disposal, recycling, toxics reduction and waste prevention programs that are characterized by good customer service, efforts to communicate and high participation and recovery rates. We maintain and monitor the curbside rubbish and recycling program, a Drop-Off Station, as well as recycling in city buildings, schools, and public areas. Technical assistance is provided to all institutions and commercial businesses located in Town.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What should I do if my recycling was not picked up?
Recycling must be set out by 7:00am on your collection day, but not before 3 pm on the day before collection. If there is a green rejection sticker on your bin, take note of why it was rejected and make sure that your recycling is properly prepared for next week’s pick up. If your recycling was missed, call Allied Waste at (413) 592-9411and give the address of the missed pick up. Always leave us your name and a return phone number. If it is determined that your rubbish or recyclables were set out on the curb late, there will be no
return trip to your residence until next week.
2. Why would my recycling be left at the curb?
Besides a prompt put-out, there are several common problems to be aware of in terms of preparing your recycling for collection. Please avoid these common problems to ensure pickup of your recycling:
The Wrong Recyclable Materials Were Put Out for Collection
Recyclables are divided into two streams: paper products and bottles/cans (co-mingled). These are collected on alternating weeks; paper products one week and bottles/cans the next. It is a common mistake to put out the wrong recyclables and residents are provided with a schedule sent in the mail annually. Please note that the vehicles used by the Town’s contracted hauler have the capacity to collect trash and recyclables in the same vehicle. The truck is has two compartments: one for trash and the other for recycling. The
efficiencies of this type of collection vehicle are passed on to taxpayers in the form of reduced collection costs and fewer vehicles traveling through our neighborhoods.
No Plastic Bags for Paper and Containers
The recycling processing plant does not accept plastic bags. Most plastic bags (#2)can be brought to your local grocery store for recycling. Call the DPW customer service (263-3246) to check if plastic bags are acceptable at the DPW Drop-Off Center
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No Plastic Bags for Yard Waste
Plastic bags will not decompose with your leaf and yard waste. Please note that rubbish or recycling crews will not pick up yard waste in plastic bags. Yard waste must be in paper compost bags or loosely packed in barrels. No logs or limbs greater than 4” thick or 4’ long.
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Do Not Mix Paper and Containers
The recycling truck has two separate compartments: one for trash and one for recyclables. Recyclables are collected in two streams: one for paper products and one for co-mingled containers (bottles and cans). These recyclable streams are collected on alternating weeks: one-week paper products and the next week co-mingled containers. You must check your Calendar to make sure you put out the correct material. Please remember to keep paper and bottles/cans separate.
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Unflattened and/or Large Cardboard
Cardboard that is longer than 2 feet by 2 feet will not fit in the recycling truck and unflattened cardboard causes the truck to fill up too quickly since the material is not compacted.
Dirty (Contaminated) Recyclables
Containers that are not rinsed out and paper/cardboard with food waste can contaminate the rest of the truckload and result in additional processing costs.
No Dirt, Rocks or Large Tree Limbs for Yard Waste
You must call a private hauler for these materials.
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Heavy Barrel or Bag of Yard Waste
Our drivers cannot lift heavy barrels or bags of yard waste. Usually heavy yard waste setouts contain large amounts of wet leaves, excessive amounts of soil on roots, and so forth. Please divide this material into two bags or barrels and put it out for collection on your next collection day.
3. What types of items can I put out in my blue bin for recycling collection?
Curbside recyclable items include paper (newspaper, magazines, phone books, mixed paper, beverage containers, drink boxes, paperboard – place in a paper bags or bundled with a string); cardboard
(flattened and cut 2’ x 2’ or smaller); and glass, metal and plastic containers (foil, aluminum pie trays, all colors of glass, milk, water and juice jugs, plastic containers #1-#7 – rinse out containers). No plastic bags. Papers and containers must be kept separate.
4. How do I get a blue bin for recycling?
Bins are distributed at no cost to most households and can be picked up at Public Works, 430 Westfield Street during regular business hours Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:00 pm. If you need a delivery of a blue bin to your residence, DPW staff will be available for this assistance.
5. What types of items can I put out for trash pickup?
You may put out all household trash not presently being picked up at curbside for recycling (recyclable items include glass, metal, & plastic containers, paper, cardboard, & yard waste). We also do not pick up household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, tires with rims, car batteries). Alkaline batteries are safe to dispose with household trash. Bulk waste is picked up by appointment only.
6. How do I dispose of Medical Sharps (Syringes & Lancets)?
Millions of people use syringes and lancets to manage their healthcare at home. These syringes and lancets are called HOUSEHOLD SHARPS. Those who use sharps MUST properly store and discard them after use.
SHARPS ARE NOT RECYCLABLE and SHOULD NOT BE THROWN IN THE TRASH!
The Town’s Health Department offers free containers to sharps users who bring in full ones to a collection center. Health Department staff will arrange for the collection and storage in a secure location and arrange for pick up and transportation to a medical waste incinerator.
The Town has a drop-off kiosk located in the lobby of the Municipal Office Building.
For those unable to leave their homes, the Health Department can supply you with a mail back container. Your first container is supplied at no charge. Once filled, you mail back the container for disposal and you will receive an empty container by mail. Call 413-263-3207 for more information. Click here for a brochure.
7. What do I do with old paint?
Please look at the kind of paint you have. Latex paint is not hazardous. The way you dispose of paint is to harden it in the can. To do this you must open the lid of the can and expose it to the open air. If there is a lot of paint in the can, then you can put in some paint hardener purchased from a hardware store. Kitty litter can also work as a hardener. Oil based paint can also be discarded in regular trash if it is hardened in the can. If you have a lot of oil based paint (which is flammable) then you can bring it to hazardous waste collection day on the last Saturday of September at the DPW Yard. Lastly, if you put hardened paint in with your trash, make sure it is not too heavy for collection crews. Please mix it in with regular trash. Again I repeat, do not put liquid paint in your trash, make sure it is hardened.
8. What types of items can I drop-off at the DPW Yard?
Proof of residency is required to use the drop-off at the DPW Yard at 430 Westfield Street. The drop-off program only accepts items that can be recycled because of state permitting restrictions. Trash (including bulk items) cannot be dropped-off at the DPW Yard. Acceptable items include: CRTs (cathode ray tubes) in computer monitors and in all sizes of televisions, computer hard drives and all peripherals, household electronics, all sizes of fluorescent lamps, lamp ballasts, cadmium and lithium batteries (alkaline can go in with rubbish), household scrap metal and appliances, yard waste and all the same recyclable materials that are collected at the curb. Call DPW Customer Service with any questions (413) 263 –3246.
9. When is yard waste collection and what is accepted?
Yard waste is collected during spring and fall off the curb on dates to be determined by the DPW Director. Yard waste must be set out by 7:00am on your collection day, or as early as 3:00pm the day before. Place the following yard waste materials in paper composting bags or loosely in labeled barrels: leaves, grass, plants, shrub prunings and twigs. Branches should be no longer than 4' and no wider than 4". Do not include food, soil, rocks, tree limbs, or trash. Yard waste is not accepted in plastic bags and will not be picked up by rubbish or recycling crews. Yard waste may be dropped-off at the DPW Operations Center.Click here for a Yardwaste Calendar.
10. I would like to get rid of some furniture, what are my options?
Help us reduce waste and encourage reuse by donating furniture in good condition. Bulk Waste items (i.e. furniture, mattresses, carpets, appliances, etc) will be collected at the curb by appointment. This service is available to those households that receive Town services. Residents in condos and apartment buildings should contact their landlords. Eligible households are allowed 5 items no more than three times per year. Appointments for bulk pickup can be made by calling (413) 789-1894.
11. What should I do with appliances?
Most appliances have value as scrap metal and can be dropped off at the DPW Yard. Some appliance contain CFCs (Freon) and these can also be dropped off at the DPW Yard at no cost. Appliances with CFCs include air conditioners, humidifiers, de-humidifiers and refrigerators. Appliances can also be picked up at the curb by calling the DPW's contractor for an appointment at 789-1894
12. There are abandoned appliances in the street, how can we get them picked up?
Please call the DPW Customer Service at (413) 263-3246 and report the location and type of appliance. Littering and illegal dumping is strictly enforced through fines and municipal liens.
13. How can I get rid of a computer or television?
Help us reduce waste and encourage reuse by donating your working computer and/or television. Non-working computer monitors or televisions can be recycled at the DPW Yard (430 Westfield St) at no cost during regular business hours Monday - Friday 7:30am-noon and 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm. Hard drives, keyboards, other computer peripherals and household electronics are also accepted.
14. Why did I get a ticket for putting out my trash too early…what is the rule?
The DPW Rubbish and Recycling Rules and Regulations state:
No person shall place, or cause to be placed, rubbish, recyclables, yard waste, bulky items, and holiday trees for collection on any street, sidewalk, tree belt, driveway apron or other public place prior to 3 PM on the day before collection or later than 7:00 AM on the day of their regular collection.
Reusable rubbish containers, recycling bins and any uncollected items shall be removed from the curbside, tree belt or driveway apron as soon as possible after collection, but in no case later than 1 AM of the following day of scheduled collection.
15. The new trash rules require trash barrels to be no larger than 48-gallon capacity, have two handles, and weigh no more than 50 lbs. Does this mean I need to get a new barrel?
You may need to get a new barrel if the capacity of your trash receptacle exceeds the limits stated above. These limits are for the protection of the collection crews that may need to lift these trash containers into the truck for emptying. If you exceed these limitations, the collection crews may refuse to service your residence.
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