The Seymour Department of Public Works is ready to help residents clean up their properties and make the city look its best for Earth Day.
The annual Make Seymour Shine Week will begin Monday and run through April 21. Earth Day is April 22.
During the citywide cleanup campaign, residents and small businesses can set out larger than normal amounts of trash, debris and recyclables for pickup at no cost.
Also, to help people with their spring cleaning, a free electronics disposal, hazardous waste collection and document shredding event will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Cummins Inc. parking lot on East Fourth Street in Seymour.
Jackson County residents can drop off televisions, computers, printers and other electronics and appliances that day, along with old lawn chemicals, household cleaners, oil, oil-based paints and other hazardous wastes. Latex paints will not be accepted. Paper documents also will be collected for shredding.
Saturday’s recycling event is being sponsored by the Jackson County Recycling District. Driver’s licenses of those dropping off items will be checked for proof of residency.
During Make Seymour Shine Week in 2016, DPW collected just more than 179 tons or 358,140 pounds of trash, said sanitation supervisor John Edwards. That amount is about the same as 2015, which was around 180 tons, Edwards said.
He hopes to see about the same or more collected this year.
The service is free for up to one pickup load and saves residents on average around $20 or $30, Edwards said.
Items accepted for pickup or dropoff at the DPW facility at 865 F Ave. East in Freeman Field include appliances, old furniture, scrap metal, landscaping and remodeling debris and yard waste.
This year, the city has changed its policy and will accept electronics, including televisions, during Make Seymour Shine Week thanks to assistance from Jackson County Recycling District, which is paying to have them recycled.
People do not need to call DPW to participate in Make Seymour Shine Week. All they need to do is set out their items on their regular trash collection day, Edwards said.
To make it easier and more efficient for DPW to pick it up, trash, metal and yard waste should be separated. Also, landscaping, wood debris, drywall and remodeling debris should be separated from yard waste, such as limbs, grass, leaves and garden refuse.
The only item that requires a special pickup is vehicles. The city will remove junk cars and trucks. The owner, however, must have the title and must call the department ahead of time to schedule a pickup.
During Make Seymour Shine Week, DPW also will collect up to four passenger vehicle tires per household. The tires may not be from semis, tractors or other agricultural equipment. Tires also can be dropped off at DPW.
Edwards said the department collected 568 car tires last year, which cost $3 a piece to recycle, half of which was paid by the Jackson County Recycling District.
Anyone needing to get rid of old paint cans or other household hazardous wastes, including pesticides, old fuels and cleaner, can drop them off at the DPW facility during regular business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Paints should be dried using cat litter, sawdust or an oil dry product.
Participation in Make Seymour Shine Week is usually high, Edwards said.
Because it’s a week later than usual due to Good Friday, some people already have started setting their trash and debris out at the curb.
“It’s a good way to get out and enjoy cleaning up the yard or the garage, and we only do it once a year,” Edwards said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Make Seymour Shine Week
Monday through April 21
Set trash out on your regular trash day; no alley pickups.
Free pickup of all items up to one load.
Items accepted include appliances and all other scrap metal, including those with Freon, televisions, monitors, computers, printers and other electronics and furniture.
Separate trash, metal, landscaping, wood debris, remodeling and drywall debris. Yard waste, including limbs, grass, leaves and garden waste, should not be mixed in with other trash or landscaping items.
Latex paint must be dried with cat litter, sawdust or oil dry.
Four used car tires per household. No tires from semis, tractors or other agricultural equipment.
Junk vehicles require a special pickup by calling 812-524-1100. Titles are required.
Household hazardous waste, including pesticides, old fuel, cleaner, oil-based paint, etc., may be brought to the Seymour Department of Public Works, 865 F Ave. East, during regular hours from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Items with asbestos are not accepted.
For information, call John Edwards at 812-524-1100.
Free electronics disposal, hazardous waste collection and document shredding
From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Cummins Inc. parking lot on East Fourth Street in Seymour.
For information, call the Jackson County Recycling District at 812-358-4277.
[sc:pullout-text-end]