How Bulk Pickup Works in Chesapeake, Virginia
Chesapeake bulk trash pickup tends to build up quickly, especially following construction, renovation, or estate cleanup projects. Accurately classifying, separating, and responsibly disposing of trash helps keep homes and neighborhoods safe. This is why Chesapeake has city codes that inform how residents can access the bulk trash pickup program and schedule their pickups. Failure to follow these codes can result in infractions or pickup delays.
This article reviews the process of bulk pickup in Chesapeake, including how to classify bulk trash, how to schedule a pickup, the rules for putting it on the curb, and other best practices that homeowners and project managers should know. Cleanup can be stressful, but knowing the rules that govern local waste management can help you handle trash pickup with as little stress as possible. We’ve simplified the information and included a step-by-step process to make the pickup process easy.
What Qualifies as Bulk Trash?
As a rule of thumb, bulk trash includes most trash items too large to place in a city trash can. However, different types of items may have different restrictions. The City of Chesapeake details these restrictions on its website.
According to the city’s site, bulk trash includes most oversized household items, such as boxes and bags of dry goods, mattresses, box springs, indoor/outdoor furniture, appliances, rugs, grills, lawn equipment, and more. However, many of these items have specific restrictions that homeowners need to know about, including:
The Difference Between Rugs and Carpets
While rugs can be rolled up and thrown away as bulk trash, carpets must be thrown away separately due to the possibility of containing adhesives or sharp objects like staples or tacks.
Appliances Must Be Prepared for Pickup
Although refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, HVACs, and similar appliances can be picked up as bulk trash, they must be properly prepared first. This includes removing the doors, taping any glass surfaces, and removing any freon. Other types of appliances follow this same logic. For example, grills can be disposed of, but the propane tanks must be removed.
Not all Wood Counts as Bulk Trash
Many homeowners assume that since wooden furniture can be collected, any type of wooden trash can be thrown away as bulk trash. However, Chesapeake does not count fencing, refuse wood, or construction/demolition materials as bulk trash. These items need to be collected separately, such as with a private dumpster rental or white-glove waste management service, and disposed of at a designated facility.
Classification of Hazardous Materials
Any hazardous materials must be classified and removed from bulk trash piles before the city will pick them up. This includes propane and freon as previously mentioned; however, any substance that can leak or spread into the water, air, or soil is likely considered hazardous. This includes pesticides, oils, glass, paint, solvents, batteries, and more. Even tires, for example, are considered hazardous materials due to the chemicals they are treated with, which leech into the environment when they decompose.
Yard Debris Now Included
Chesapeake used to require homeowners to differentiate between household and yard trash when requesting bulk trash pickup. This is no longer necessary; instead, homeowners can request a collection and then note whether bushes, tree limbs, and other yard debris are included. The piles must be separated at the curb, but both can be picked up at the same time.
Additionally, leaves and grass clippings can be thrown away in plastic bags without requiring bulk trash pickup. However, branches must be less than 6 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter.
Step-by-Step Guide to Chesapeake Bulk Pickup
These rules, restrictions, and criteria can be complicated, but this step-by-step guide to properly disposing of bulk trash in Chesapeake can help clarify the process:
1. Review Bulk Trash Eligibility
Using the rules listed above and other information from the City of Chesapeake site, properly collect and classify bulk trash items.
2. Schedule Pickup
The deadline for bulk trash pickup requests is 5 pm on the business day before that week’s scheduled trash collection. Schedule the pickup by phone or by visiting the Chesapeake service request form.
3. Prepare Items
Any item correctly designated as bulk trash still needs to be properly prepared for pickup. Prepare bulk trash items by removing hazardous chemicals, taping or removing glass components, removing batteries, unhinging fridge doors, bundling yard debris, and more. Dispose of anything liquid, gaseous, or hazardous according to the rules for throwing away that specific substance.
4. Place Items at the Curb
To increase the chances of a successful pickup, place bulk trash items at least three feet from mailboxes, poles, and utilities. Gather bulk yard waste and household waste for the same pickup, but place them in separate piles. Regardless of the type of waste, bulk trash must be placed on the curb by 7 am.
5. Confirm on Collection Day
If possible, confirm on collection day that the items are prepped and placed correctly. Make sure no piles are blocking roadways or public walkways, arranged unsafely, or located within three feet of a utility pole or power line. If the mechanical arm that collects the trash could be impeded by a utility, the city workers may leave the trash uncollected.
Book Your Chesapeake Bulk Pickup Today
At Full Strut Disposal, our team of local waste management disposal experts knows the requirements for classifying and disposing of bulk trash in Chesapeake, VA. We put our expertise to work in our white-glove waste management and dumpster rental services, which help homeowners in Chesapeake safely clean up their renovation, construction, or downsizing projects without worrying about breaking city rules.
Contact us today for more information about the bulk pickup process in Chesapeake and how we can help.
