Phoenix starts appointment-only bulk trash pickup
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Jessica desperately needs to schedule her first bulk trash appointment. Photo: Jessica Boehm/Axios
Phoenix residents can take the bulk trash pickup schedules down from their refrigerators and bulletin boards — the city's new, appointment-based system launches today.
Why it matters: People have strong opinions about garbage pickup, and the new system might take some getting used to for Phoenicians who have spent many years putting bulk items on their curbs or in their alleys.
State of play: The city's Public Works Department has its first bulk pickup appointment this morning.
- If you live in parts of Ahwatukee, Maryvale or northwest Phoenix, this would've been your week for bulk collection, so bring those items back and make an appointment.
How it works: You make appointments for pickup on the department's website.
- Appointments must be set at least three days in advance and can be scheduled as much as four weeks ahead of time.
- Starting in 2025, Phoenix residents can schedule up to four bulk pickups per year. Only one appointment is permitted through the end of 2024.
- You can put bulk items out as many as seven days before pickup, but don't do it until your appointment is scheduled.
Zoom in: Customers who previously placed bulk items in their alleys now must put them in front of their houses.
- The city will work with people on a case-by-case basis in instances where curbside pickup isn't possible, public works spokesperson Spencer Blake told Axios.
By the numbers: The city opened the appointment system on Aug. 30, and as of Friday afternoon, 6,180 appointments had been scheduled, Blake said.
- More than 2,500 appointments have been scheduled for this week.
What we're watching: The city's environmental quality specialists will be on the lookout for bulk trash being placed without an appointment.
- In those cases, the city will contact residents to schedule pickup appointments.
- Blake said most of those situations will likely be inadvertent and involving people who didn't realize the old pickup schedule is no longer in effect.
- "We realize it might take some time for people to get used to that," he said.