Bag It: Bridgeport Ends Loose-Leaf Pickup, Saves $150,000

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Bridgeport residents are now required to place leaves, brush and grass clippings in brown bags or in uncovered garbage cans ready for pickup on recycling day, which occurs biweekly.

New city guidelines require Bridgeport residents to place leaves, brush and grass clippings in brown bags or in uncovered garbage cans ready for pickup on recycling day, which occurs biweekly.
Photo Credit: *File*

Ken Davis

10/20/2016 9:00 p.m.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and the Department of Public Facilities issued the new guidelines.

The new yard refuse collection guidelines replace loose-leaf pickup from 2015 in which residents had raked leaves and other materials into a pile on the curbs during the last six weeks of the year.

Transitioning from loose-leaf pickup to the new brown-bag yard waste collection guidelines saves Bridgeport taxpayers more than $150,000 in labor and equipment and fuel costs.

Bridgeport residents can purchase brown bags from Home Depot, Stop & Shop and other grocery or hardware stores.

In order for leaves to be collected, Bridgeport residents must have their brown bags at the curbside on their day of recycling pickup. The truck will pass by only once during the week.

Once the truck passes, it will not return until the following scheduled recycling collection day.

2016 Brown Bag Collection Guidelines: Leaves, brush and grass clippings are on Connecticut’s list of mandatory recycling items. Residents should not mix these with garbage.

The city of Bridgeport encourages residents to compost at home and mulch their grass clippings into their lawn. Bridgeport provides this service throughout the year.

Curbside by 6 a.m. on the recycling day.
Yard waste will be collected only in brown paper leaf bags, garbage cans with no lids or open-top cardboard boxes.
Plastic bags, loose piles of brush and leaves, rock, soil and sand will not be collected.
Brush must be less than 4 feet in length and 6 inches or less in diameter. It must be tied up in bundles and no heavier than 50 pounds.
There is a 25-pound weight limit for bags and a 50-pound limit for cans. Please do not overload bags and cans.
Logs and stumps will not be collected. They can be brought to the transfer station at 475 Asylum St., Bridgeport.
If you believe your residence was missed for a brown bag pickup, call the Department of Public Facilities on the same day at 203-576-7124.

Visit BridgeportCT.gov for additional pickup information.

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