Cascade Highlands Neighborhood Association

Is Your Garbage "Blowin' in the Wind"?

Tips for Windy-Day Garbage/Recycling Pickup Days

Have you noticed how much our streets and yards have been littered with our neighbors' garbage and recyclables on recent windy pick-up days? Are you doing your part?

Even though our weather forecasters have become much better at predicting windy weather, winds in this area can often increase unexpectedly. By all means watch for forecasts of strong winds and take special measures on those days, but please also beware of unexpected windy conditions that can scatter lightweight trash and recyclables!

On pickup days when winds are forecasted or possible, consider these measures:
(1) Postpone putting your refuse out until the next pick up, if you can.
(2) If you must put out your garbage and recyclables for pickup, ensure that they are adequately covered and/or weighted down so they aren't toppled or scattered by the wind. A heavy brick or rock left on top of your newspaper or mixed paper will be left behind by the collection crews, so that they can be used again. You can also place your mixed papers inside a brown paper shopping bag, then stuff another brown paper bag over the open end to form a closed "shell."
(3) Since the recycling bins are stackable, you can place your glass and metal bin on top of your newspaper and mixed paper bins, and sort the contents of the glass and metal bin so that the lightweight plastic and aluminum is weighted down under heavier glass and metal objects. Flattened tin cans are less susceptible to winds.
(4) Make sure the lids on your garbage cans are secured. If your cans do not have a mechanism to "lock" the lid in place, use a heavy brick or rock on flat lids, or bungie cords on plastic lids.
(5) Do not place your garbage and recyclables at the curb any earlier than really necessary (scheduled pickup begins at 6:30 am), and retrieve your containers from curbside as soon as possible after they have been emptied. Vancouver municipal code says the containers should be placed curbside not more than 12 hours prior to scheduled pickup, and must be retrieved within 12 hours after pickup. Refuse and containers left out beyond those hours can result in a code violation citation.
(6) Above all, exercise good judgement and be considerate of your neighbors. If your refuse does get scattered by the wind, pick it up as soon as possible, and find better means to prevent wind scattering on future pickup days.

With your help we can keep our neighborhood clean, safe, and beautiful!