Yard Waste Pickup Ends on January 31st
Press Release:
City of Columbus Yard Waste Program Ends
Rumpke’s residential yard waste removal contract with the City of Columbus expires Jan. 31 without a new agreement in place.
The contract called for Rumpke to provide weekly curbside yard waste collection for all Columbus residents. Yard waste typically includes branches, tree trimmings, grass clippings, leaves and other organic material generated during general landscaping activities.
“Rumpke and the City of Columbus were successful in diverting large volumes of material from the landfill through the yard waste program,” said Andrew Rumpke, vice president. “We truly appreciated the support of the program, both from residents and City officials, and we look forward to maintaining a good working relationship through the curbside recycling program.”
In 2007 and 2008, Rumpke collected more than 55,000 tons of yard waste from Columbus residents, including nearly 3,000 tons of debris after the hurricane-like windstorm in September 2008.
Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest privately owned, residential and commercial waste and recycling firms. Rumpke provides service to areas of Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Indiana. The Rumpke business began in 1932, and its regional operation is located in Columbus, Ohio.
More details online at Rumpke.com
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Related Tags: city of columbus • rumpke • trash • yard waste
January 30th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Kind of disappointing news, but it’s probably necessary considering the current budget issues.
Honestly though, we’ve had pretty horrible yard waste service ever since we moved into our new house last year. Nothing ever got picked up on the correct day, and we always had to call to have them come get it. Took like 3 weeks for them to pick up our Christmas Tree. Ugh.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
I wonder if making this a paid service could revive this, along the lines of curbside recycling.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
service used to be really good, but it really went downhill this past year. and after the wind storm we had, forgeddaboudit!
yeah yeah, shame on me, but I had to start throwing out all my yard waste. I don’t have much trash since I recycle so there’s plenty of room in my garbage bin.
edit: if they offered a pay to play plan I’d probably still throw it in the trash. I don’t pay for recycling either, I take it to the bin at the school about a block away.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Last I heard, the new budget allowed for every other week pick-up ?? That’s too bad if even that got cut…
January 30th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I’m bummed about this, because I’m sure a lot of this will end up in the trash. However, I understand the budgetary issue. The pickup has been terrible the past year, anyway. I’d drive down my street and see the same bags sitting out for weeks before they were picked up. I kept thinking, the bags are breaking down on the bottom and will be difficult to lift. I compost all my leaves — with the addition of non-meat kitchen scraps to add “greens” to speed the process (altho, technically, I think we’re not even supposed to do that). My neighbor John doesn’t have as many leaves, and gathers some that neighbors leave out. However, not everyone is a gardener. Hope more folks get into composting — renegade as that is ;) But, I also hope we can renew this city program a few years in the future.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I’m surprised by the poor pick up remarks, but I call 645-CITY at 7:05pm if mine is missed. I’ve never had them not come the next day.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I too am disappointed. We mostly compost our grass clippings, but we have put out many branches after the various wind storms. I pay Rumpke directly for my recycling, so yes, maybe we could bump it up and have yard waste pickup too? Seems like people will just be putting organic material in the big green monsters. That seems like a backwards step. Where is the Green Spot now?
PS - I was VERY impressed that both Columbus Garbage and Rumpke picked up this week, even with all the snow.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Press Release from SWACO:
In regards to the statement released by the City of Columbus relased Friday January 30, 2009 on yard waste collections:
SWACO has 2 contracted compost facilities were residents of Franklin County can bring their yard waste free of charge. These locations are 2850 Rohr Rd and 4120 Roberts Rd.
SWACO also operates the “Nail-a-Dumper program where people can report illegal dumping in Franklin County. The 24-hour-a-day number to call to report instances of illegal dumping is 614-871-5322.
Dedicated loads of Yard waste are banned from all landfills in Ohio.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I know it is a necessary budget cut so moving forward, we’ll deal. But Rumpke still owes us for services we already paid for. My entire street has had our Christmas trees out for weeks. They should honor that contract and do what they should have done before the City opted not to renew.
January 31st, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Rumpke is one of the worst corporations in the area…not only are they violently anti-union, their workers are underpaid, understaffed,overworked,given minimal to no benefits…also their landfills have been repeatedly cited for leaking and other environmental violations. Good riddance assholes. This is a great excuse to start a compost pile of if necessary take your yard waste to one of the local community gardens for composting.
January 31st, 2009 at 1:42 pm
My Christmas tree is still out front… 4 weeks now. I did call 311, but Rumpke hasn’t been real responsive the last couple weeks as they discussed this with City.
January 31st, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I’m sad to see the pick-up service go. I’ve never really had any trouble with it though.
I’m glad to see that there is a contract for drop off at composting facilities, but neither of them are in very convenient locations.
January 31st, 2009 at 4:31 pm
^^ Me too. I never had any trouble with Rumpke’s yard waste pick-up. I can compost the smaller stuff but I don’t have a truck to haul away larger limbs. I’ll bet most yard waste will just end up in the landfill.
February 1st, 2009 at 12:18 pm
for a small fee i can take anything away!
February 1st, 2009 at 9:14 pm
The city does not want people to use their trash bins for yard waste. As the article in the Dipsatch stated, this would raise the City’s tipping fees at the landfill because of excess yardwaste. I am all for a mandatory recylcling program & not allowing yard wast into the trash. If the city needs it ,go ahead and charge a few bucks a month for trash pick up. FYI the article also stated that the cost was $6 Million dollars and they serviced 230,000 homes. This equals only $26.00 a household per year. This would be a lot less then having to pay for gas to drive the stuff to a center. Hope they can figure a way to keep this service going with some servicer.
September 9th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
City yard-waste pickup back? Not so fast
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 3:10 AM
By Robert Vitale
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Officials say they don’t plan to resume citywide, city-funded yard-waste pickup — a promise made in the recent campaign for a city income-tax increase — until early 2010.
READ MORE