The City of Bloomington is done being nice about the curbside garbage. Here is how to get them to come take your big items off the curb, or where to deliver them for free all by yourself.

On Friday July 27th, 2018, the following press release came out:

CITY OF BLOOMINGTON ENDING GRACE PERIOD FOR BULK WASTE PICKUP

BLOOMINGTON, IL – The two-week grace period for bulk waste pickup in Bloomington is ending on July 31. Beginning Aug. 1, Public Works crews will collect bulk waste, sod, dirt, concrete, rock, and shingles at the curb. The City will charge $25 per bucket for bulk waste or $100 per bucket for sod, dirt, concrete, rock, and shingles. This change will improve the appearance of the community by ensuring that unsightly bulk waste is not left at the curb for extended periods of time.

Following the Spring Bulk Waste Pickup that began May 1, Public Works crews began placing stickers and door hangers at properties that had bulk waste set out for curbside pickup. Public Works used the stickers and door hangers to educate the public on the new bulk waste pickup process, the Citizen Convenience Center, and to provide a two-week notice prior to a $25 per bucket charge.

Those who did not wish to pay the per bucket charge have the option of taking items to the Citizen Convenience Center at no additional charge or waiting until the 2018 Fall Bulk Waste Collection. To request a pickup, Solid Waste Program users can use MyBloomington, available on the Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and at www.cityblm.org/mybloomington. To find the request type, users can search “Bulk Waste Pickup” within MyBloomington.

The Citizen Convenience Center is located at the corner of East Street and Jackson Street, south of the Bloomington Public Library. The weekly hours of operation are 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. The center is closed on Sundays and municipal holidays. Entrance gates close 15 minutes early.The 2018 Fall Bulk Waste Collection will take place on October 1, 2018.  Additional information on the fall collection will be released closer to the start date.

I have personally used the City of Bloomington App for a variety of things, and find it very easy to use! Try it out next time you drive over a pot hole that just cannot be ignored, or need to request a curbside bulk waste pick up before October 1st. Yes, having them come out now costs money, but unless you have a truck and plenty of extra time (and strong friends), where else are you going to stash that crap?

Let’s work this out so we can keep our community looking clean and beautiful!