City offers clean up

For 15 years, the city of Pea Ridge has sponsored an annual clean up offering several days for city residents to dump their refuse free of charge. About three years ago, a fall clean up date was added, according to Nathan See, superintendent of the Street Department.

The 15th annual spring cleanup is slated for Tuesday, April 14, through Saturday, April 18. Items will be received from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, through Friday, April 17, and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 18.

7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, - Friday, April 17

7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 18

"The April clean up is always bigger," See said, adding that usually 20 to 25 large dumpsters are filled during the spring clean up and about half that many during the fall clean up. The cost to the city is between $20,000 to $30,000; that cost is for renting the dumpsters and equipment, See said.

Residents are asked to separate items into categories -- metal, refuse and brush -- to facilitate the city employees' work of unloading.

Metal refuse is sold, but because the cost of metal has decreased, it only brings in from $2,000 to $3,000, See said.

"The main thing is, we want people to use it," See said. "Many cities have stopped doing them anymore because it costs so much. We want people to utilize it so we can keep our city clean."

Some of the most common items disposed of include mattresses, swimming pools, charcoal grills, washers, dryers, freezers. One year, See said, someone brought a freezer chained shut with rotting deer meat inside.

The city will not provide curbside pickup. Dumpsters will be on the city property behind TH Rogers Lumber Company. All participants must bring a form of identification and proof of city residency.

Items accepted include furniture, stoves, dishwashers, bicycles, compressed gas cylinders, car batteries, fire extinguishers, washers, dryers, electronic waste, air conditioners and refrigerators (if Freon removed by certified technician), compressors (accepted as a separate item), fluorescent bulbs, cleaners (water based), paints, chemicals, oil, oil filters, tires (four per household), anti-freeze, aerosols, flammable liquids and solids, pesticides, etc.

Items not accepted are household trash, construction material, anything containing Freon or items too large to fit in dumpster.

There is a limit of three trips per household.

Brush need to be taken to the dumpster location and then taken to the city burn site on Greer Street.

For information, call 451-8654 or 451-1122.

General News on 04/08/2015