SPRING CLEANUP STARTS MONDAY

It's time to clean out those garages and get the trash hauled out to the curb. Cape Girardeau's annual citywide Spring Cleanup starts Monday.

Furniture, appliances, yard waste and general junk not collected during normal trash pickups will be collected throughout the special cleanup week.

The cleanup week can be a junk collector's nightmare, but overzealous rummagers risk violating a city ordinance, said Pam Sander, the city's solid waste coordinator.

"Pilfering is against the city ordinance," Sander said. "What can I tell you? If you've been in the city during that time, you know what happens. The problem we have is when they get into and throw it and cause a litter problem and nuisance problem."

"We discourage it, let's put it that way," she said.

Last year, the city collected 637.44 tons of refuse, 110.71 tons compostable material and 50.03 tons of white goods, Sander said.

Residents need to have the items to be collected at the curb by 6 a.m. on their normal trash collection day.

Because of the large amount of refuse expected, the service will not be repeated for residents who fail to participate on their regularly scheduled collection day.

The special cleanup is only available to residential trash collection customers, and there are stipulations for what will and won't be picked up:

-- Weight limit for refuse to be collected is 75 pounds per item or per container.

-- Grass, leaves and yard or garden waste must be bagged and kept separate from other refuse, and will be collected by a separate vehicle.

-- Brush and limbs must be bundled in 4-foot lengths not exceeding 75 pounds, and must be separate from other refuse. Brush and limbs will be collected by a separate vehicle.

-- Tires, batteries, motor oil, pesticides, paint and hazardous materials will not be collected because of state law restrictions.

-- Appliances must be left at the curb, and appliance doors must be removed. A separate vehicle will collect appliances.

-- Reasonable refuse loads will be collected at each residence, typically what it would take two men to load in 10 minutes.

For more information, call the Solid Waste Division, 334-9151.