Cleanup time
Ontario offers annual fall service to residents
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 10:54 AM PST
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| A particularly leafy section of Southwest First Avenue as seen Friday afternoon. The Ontario Public Works Department is giving residents a chance to box, bag and bundle their leaves and other biodegradable yard debris and place it on curbs to be disposed of for free. This service is slated to occur from Monday to Nov. 21. |
Ontario — Ontario city officials are looking to get the word out about their annual fall cleanup effort, slated from Monday to Nov. 21.
The Ontario Public Works Department is offering residents a chance to dispose of their leaves, branches, garden plants and other yard debris for free during that time.
Ontario Operations Manager John Bishop said the cleanup is beneficial for both residents and the city.
“It’s kind of a public service thing,” he said. “It helps people get rid of their yard debris, and it helps us too because the leaves aren’t going into our system.”
Bishop said keeping the leaves and yard debris out of the city’s sewer lines helps to keep water flowing.
He also said the city has been offering this service for 20 years, with the event always occurring the week before Thanksgiving. Ontario Public Works Administration Assistant Karen Mowry said the city used to do both spring and fall cleanups but has opted to just a fall service for the last five years. Mowry said the reason for this is because of the cost of offering both a fall and spring cleanup.
Mowry called the cleanup “a service to the community.”
“We received 84 tons last year,” she said.
According to a city press release, Ontario Public Works vehicles will follow the same garbage pickup routes as Ontario Sanitary Service vehicles, which begins at the northwest end of Ontario and continues throughout the city.
The yard debris will then be transported to the landfill and be ground into compost.
Because of this, public works will not accept non-biodegradable items such as tires, batteries and other refuse.
To participate, Ontario Operations Manager John Bishop said residents should put bag, box, or bundle their debris and put them on the curb. Bishop recommends residents limit the weight of each bag, box or bundle to 50 pounds because maintenance crews lift each bag into a backhoe or dump truck. Those who have questions about the cleanup program should call 889-8572. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“I’m just hoping that this is something the community will take advantage of,” Bishop said.
