Waste accumulating in Bloomington despite ordinance change

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - Some Bloomington residents are leaving bulky waste on their curb despite the next free collection not being scheduled until October.

Public works employees have noted almost 550 locations with waste on the curb despite a February ordinance change that eliminated a free biweekly collection to save money, The Pantagraph reported .

"The city understands that not everyone has gotten this message right away," said Public Works Director Jim Karch. "We've seen bulky waste at stops all over the community so it really is a citywide education effort."

The City Council limited bulky curbside waste collections to twice a year and raised monthly collection fees by $5 for its two larger garbage carts. The changes are expected to cover a nearly $1.1 million annual deficit in the solid waste disposal program.

City officials are trying to spread the word that residents will be fined if they don't remove the trash. City workers are leaving notices informing residents that they can dispose of the waste themselves at the Citizen Convenience Center or request a pickup starting at $25.

A city crew will remove waste if it's left out for two weeks and residents will be charged on their water bill, Karch said.

Educational tagging will continue throughout the summer before the city considers what steps to take.

"We really want to be as gracious as we can throughout this change, but there does come a point where we do want to ensure that we have a clean community," Karch said.

___

Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com