Are home reorganization and improvement shows inspiring you to refresh your space? Before throwing household items away in bulk trash, follow these quick tips to upcycle or recycle.
Gilbert’s bulk trash program is a resident service for items that are too large to fit in your trash container and, this year, we’ve seen an increase of the service being used in the community. For example, in 2020 so far, we have collected 14,865 tons (or 29,730,000 pounds) of bulk trash, which is 27% more trash compared to this time last year.
All items picked up in our bulk trash program are taken to a landfill, but many items placed in bulk trash piles, such as furniture and cardboard, can be donated to a nonprofit organization or recycled. Donating and recycling can benefit the community, local organizations, and the environment, making Gilbert a clean and more sustainable community.
Below are the top three items found in bulk trash piles that can be donated or recycled. Help reduce landfill waste and follow these tips:
Gently Used Furniture
- Contact your favorite organization, or view a list of organizations in Gilbert’s Neighbor 2 Neighbor program, to make arrangements for a donation drop off or pickup.
Household Items (bicycles, sports equipment, cabinets, etc.)
- We don’t collect construction or remodeling debris, however appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, water heaters, and air conditioners are collected and recycled. To schedule a large appliance pickup, call Customer Service at (480) 503-6400 before noon on the Tuesday of your bulk pickup week.
- Some nonprofits collect items such as cabinets and sports equipment. Contact your favorite organization, or view a list of organizations in Gilbert’s Neighbor 2 Neighbor program, to make arrangements for a donation drop off or pickup.
Cardboard
- Cardboard can be broken down and put in your recycling bins.
Learn more about bulk trash, recycling, and more services in Gilbert at gilbertaz.gov/bulktrash.
Why don’t you just have a bulk recycling truck follow along and pickup the cardboard?
I think some people may think you do. Moving boxes are too many to try and cut up for recycling.
Hi, neighbor!
The idea of having a dedicated bulk recycling truck to collect cardboard directly from households in Gilbert is indeed an interesting suggestion. While it may seem like a convenient solution to handle moving boxes and large quantities of cardboard, there are several factors to consider:
– Efficiency: While a dedicated bulk recycling truck might work for larger items, it may not be the most efficient solution for routine household recycling. Regular curbside pickup schedules are designed to cover a wide area efficiently. Adding another specialized truck route could increase costs and logistical complexities.
– Cost-effectiveness: Introducing a new service such as a bulk recycling truck would likely incur additional expenses for equipment, manpower, and maintenance. These costs would need to be weighed against the benefits and overall effectiveness of the service.
– Environmental impact: Operating an additional vehicle solely for bulk recycling pickups could potentially increase emissions and fuel consumption, offsetting some of the environmental benefits of recycling.
– Community participation: Encouraging residents to flatten and bundle their moving boxes for regular curbside pickup fosters a culture of participation in recycling efforts. It promotes awareness and responsibility for proper waste disposal practices.
However, it’s essential to acknowledge the challenges that residents face in breaking down large amounts of cardboard, especially after moving. Thank you for your concern and understanding. While it would be a good suggestion to implement this service, it would be technically challenging due to current availability of resources needed to execute this task.
Hello! I’m wondering why Gilbert doesn’t just refuse to take people’s cardboard boxes when it’s in bulk trash? You’re actually just reinforcing the laziness or lack of knowledge of people to recycle versus throwing out with bulk trash? Is this something that can be done? How can we better educate citizens? Thanks!
Hi, neighbor!
Thank you for your inquiry. We are thrilled to hear that you are as passionate about recycling as we are! At this time, we do not have a mandatory recycling system in place for our bulk trash collections. However, we strongly encourage residents to recycle and donate whenever possible, rather than throwing items in the trash or bulk pile.
If you wish to promote recycling in your community, we would be happy to provide education and support to your neighborhood and HOA. Our goal is to spread awareness about the importance of recycling items like cardboard and preserving space in our landfills.
I appreciate your interest in recycling and we look forward to working with you!
Remember, the first step of recycling is to first Reduce, then Reuse, then Recycle.