Bulk pick up for Waste Management customers in Maplewood

In case anyone didn't receive their flyer in the mail, Waste Management has changed the bulk pick up collection.  The previous collection was four items on the last Wednesday of the month and you had to phone in or submit a request electronically.  This has changed.  

You are now allowed one item per week and you do not need to submit a request, simply put your single item out on your regular trash pick up day. The flyer I am looking at does not specify where the items goes (part of it is smudged so maybe it does and I just can't read it   ) but it does say "same guidelines and acceptable items apply" so I would say it is safe to assume that the item still needs to be on the curb.  Also, even though most WM customers have trash pick up twice a week, you can only put one item out per week, so you can choose which day works better for you, but can't double up by putting an item out on both pick up days (unless you tip really well at Christmas, in which case they might let you slide once in awhile    )

I think this is great, as a number of times I meant to put something out and forgot until the night before when it was too late to submit a request and had to hold the item until the next month.  Now remembering the night before is no problem, and if something is forgotten it only has to wait until the next pick up date instead of the next month.

Here's the email I got...

Wow! Nice! Wish SO had this. We have no bulk pick up at all!

Does anyone have the info for WM yard waste pickup?  (I'm house-sitting, and want to put out their leaf bag on the correct day.)

sprout said:

Does anyone have the info for WM yard waste pickup?  (I'm house-sitting, and want to put out their leaf bag on the correct day.)

Wednesday.

Thank you!

annielou said:

Wow! Nice! Wish SO had this. We have no bulk pick up at all!

We used to be able to make appointments, now we can get a pick up but I believe it is $75. We also had the ability to recycle everyday but Sunday, now its only Tuesday and Thursday and half a day on Saturday.

 We can drop off large items in the summer once each month provided we can fit the stuff in our car and wait on line.

Last month I had 4 small wood chairs and the dumpsters had already arrived days before, I was dropping off recycling and asked to bring my chairs later and was told no, I had to wait till Saturday. So I went Saturday and I waited on line for almost an hour.

Now I have a few bricks but they don't take construction material!

Anyone know if Waste Industries will be switching from once a month to this approach also?  I like it, but not enough to switch trash haulers.

Might be worth a call to Waste Industries.  

Is there a reason SO doesn't have a choice in garbage haulers?  I recently moved from Mplwd to SO and have found the bulk pick-up, summer yard waste and recycling in SO to be far inferior to the options in Mplwd.  Seems like competition would help to improve our services.  

krnl said:

sprout said:

Does anyone have the info for WM yard waste pickup?  (I'm house-sitting, and want to put out their leaf bag on the correct day.)

Wednesday.

Weds is pickup. Might want to put it out Tues night

I have to say that for years I was really steamed about the loss of the 2x a year bulk pick up.  Some people liked the once a month, but I always forgot until I saw someone else's item out when it was too late to put in a request.  But I am happy to hear about this new method.  No calling in.  No waiting until next month.  The convenience factor alone is a huge plus.

karen32 said:

Is there a reason SO doesn't have a choice in garbage haulers?  I recently moved from Mplwd to SO and have found the bulk pick-up, summer yard waste and recycling in SO to be far inferior to the options in Mplwd.  Seems like competition would help to improve our services.  

It probably would.  Traditionally each town only had one waste hauler, but Waste Industries came in as an alternative to Waste Management in Maplewood a few years ago.  I guess the South Orangeites need to lobby with the Village and/or prospective competitive haulers to bring in some competition likewise. It has definitely been good for us in Maplewood.

I wonder if Waste Industries will follow WM's lead?

yahooyahoo said:

I wonder if Waste Industries will follow WM's lead?

They really will have no choice if they see people switching. We may consider switching since like spontaneous, I always forget to sign up and put the item out.

sprout said:

Does anyone have the info for WM yard waste pickup?  (I'm house-sitting, and want to put out their leaf bag on the correct day.)

Yard waste pickup is only if the homeownwer subscribed to the extra service with WM. 

If they did, yes, it is Wednesday ...and you put it out Tuesday night.

pmartinezv said:

yahooyahoo said:

I wonder if Waste Industries will follow WM's lead?

They really will have no choice if they see people switching. We may consider switching since like spontaneous, I always forget to sign up and put the item out.

I called and left a message with them and let them know that I'm a current customer with a slight preference for WI over WM, but this might make me consider switching.  I haven't heard back so far.

My trash was picked up today.  My one bulk item was not.   

Did you call WM?  What did they tell you?

joan_crystal said:

Did you call WM?  What did they tell you?

I just got in from work and have to head back out to pick up my son from school.  I will try when I get back.

It is possible that the bulk item is being picked up by a separate truck.  It is also possible that not all crews got the message that bulk pick-up starts this week.  The sooner you call, the sooner they can make arrangements to pick up your bulk item. If they don't agree to do this, you might want to notify the town.

I did the online chat.  They said they didn't see any requests in their system for a pick up.  I am explaining that they sent out a notice that we no longer need to make a request, that we are to just put out our item on our regular trash day.  She said my service days are Tuesday and Friday, so if I put it out last night then it wouldn't be picked up until Friday. I politely pointed out that today is Tuesday so if I put it out last night (Monday night) then it was on the curb in time for today's pick up. 

Hopefully this is just a hiccup due to the new system in place for bulk items.

Ugh.  She asked where the item was.  I said it was on the front curb, and I even stood it up against the tree so it would be easily visible.  She said that if the item was in the back yard that they wouldn't go onto my property to retrieve it, or maybe they didn't see it.  I explained, again, that it was on the front berm, that it was standing up and clearly visible, and that they had to walk past it to get to my trash can.

Since we have back yard pick up, that response makes no sense.  I would call the town and let them follow up.  Person you spoke with doesn't know what she is talking about.

Did they ever say if the items are to be put next to the trash can (in the backyard) or on the curb (like the prior bulk pickup procedure)?

She said curb.

spontaneous said:

My trash was picked up today.  My one bulk item was not.  "> 

Thankfully, my trash and my one bulk item were picked up today. Sorry you didn't have the same pleasant experience.

I'd give this a week or two to get going well.

alha said:

spontaneous said:

My trash was picked up today.  My one bulk item was not.  "> 

Thankfully, my trash and my one bulk item were picked up today. Sorry you didn't have the same pleasant experience.

My bulk item was not picked up today either. On the curb and clearly marked. Will call tomorrow to follow up  

ctrzaska said:

I'd give this a week or two to get going well.

That is what I am hoping.