The City of Gastonia is bracing for a record amount of bulk trash and unwanted items to be placed at the curb during the week of Sept. 20 for this popular service offered by the City’s Solid Waste Division. The free excess trash pickup service is offered in the spring and fall with no additional charge, although some customer will incur charges for certain items that exceed the requirements.
“This is a popular service, and in some cases needed for our customers, so we want to offer the service for as long as we can,” said Solid Waste Division Manager Allison Brockman. “It’s not only good for our customers but also helps us with the City’s beautification efforts.”
During Free Excess Household Trash Week, the City collects bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, even lawnmowers and other types of excess trash that won’t fit in a customer’s garbage cart. The City waives its fees of $15 for items up to 100 pounds and $25 for items weighing 100 pounds or more. Since the twice-a-year free week began in 2013, the City has collected a total of nearly 10 million pounds of unwanted items at no charge.
During the March 2021 Free Excess Household Trash Week, Gastonia residents set a record by discarding more than 750 tons of trash. All of the excess trash goes to the Gaston County landfill in Dallas.
Are there fees associated with Free Excess Household Trash Week?
Even during the free week, the City charges residents a fee for removing these items:
- Appliances and electronics such as TVs, computers, refrigerators, water heaters, lamps, washers and dryers
- Car and truck tires
The fee to collect each item with an electrical cord is $25. The fee for appliances, electronics and tires is because state law does not allow the City to put those items into landfills.
What should customers not put out for pickup during Free Excess Household Trash Week?
- Automobile or engine parts, including batteries
- Dirt, rocks, bricks, ceramic tile or similar construction debris
- Liquids, poisons or explosives
- Paint cans that contain wet paint
Customers must take these items to the Gaston County Landfill for proper disposal.
Year-round, the City does not charge to dispose of paint cans, as long as kitty litter or sand has been added to completely dry the paint and the paint cans fit inside the rollout garbage cart.
Residents who want to know if a particular item will be collected at no charge during the free week should call the City’s Solid Waste customer service office at 704-866-6774.
When should customers place their excess household trash at the curb?
Customers are asked to put eligible household trash at the curb on the evening before their regular pickup day. A fee may be charged if large items are put at the curb too early.
No yard waste will be collected the week of Sept. 20 so that more City employees can be assigned to collecting the large volume of extra household trash.
