Photo by Chris Rief

Photo by Chris Rief

In an effort to remove many old trash and recycling cans that are no longer needed, the Department of Public Works will begin a “blitz” tomorrow to pick them up.

“Since receiving their new Supercans or 32-gallon trash cans and new recycling cans, District residents have indicated they want the old cans removed,” a release states. “More than 60,000 cans have been collected but there are many thousands more that remain in alleys and along city streets awaiting removal.”

“We have had requests to remove thousands of old, unwanted cans and when we go to these addresses, we find two, three and four times the number of cans for which we have requests, and that volume overwhelmed our resources to collect them in a timely manner,” DPW director William O. Howland, Jr. said. “So, now we are taking all old cans that remain in public space [alleys and curbs] to relieve residents of the cluttered alleys and curbs.”

Fair warning: If an old can you still want is in a public space, it will be removed.

For once-a-week trash removal, here’s the pickup schedule:

Saturday, May 10: From Monday and Wednesday collection neighborhoods
Monday, May 12: From Thursday collection neighborhoods
Tuesday, May 13: From Friday collection neighborhoods
Wednesday, May 14: From Monday collection neighborhoods
Thursday, May 15: From Tuesday collection neighborhoods
Friday, May 16: From Wednesday collection neighborhoods

For twice-a-week trash removal, here’s the pickup schedule:

Wednesday, May 14: From Monday/Thursday collection neighborhoods
Saturday, May 17: From Tuesday/Friday collection neighborhoods

The city began distributing new trash and recycling cans to every D.C. household in February. Some residents have not been happy with the amount of time it’s taken to pickup the old cans.

Filed Under: dpw, supercan, trash can,