AUBURN — The city’s semiannual bulky waste pickup begins Monday, allowing residents to dispose of items including furniture, rugs and appliances.
But city staff has a reminder as items begin to appear along streets and roads: city ordinance forbids scavenging.
Dan Goyette, director of Auburn Public Services, said this week the ordinance prohibiting scavenging has long been in place, but does not always prevent the practice.
“The issue we have is that people go through the piles and throw everything around looking for what they want, ending up with a big mess and everything intermingled,” he said. “Also, people primarily are looking for metals and we try and use that scrap cost to try and offset some of the cost, although it is minimal in comparison.”
If caught, violators could be fined up to $1,000, according to the city. Residents who observe scavenging are also strongly encouraged to report it to Public Services.
The city did not readily have data on how many times the ordinance has been enforced or how many fines have been issued.
The bulky waste pickup allows residents who receive weekly trash pickup from the city to dispose of materials not normally hauled away.
Public Services crews will begin collecting materials Monday at normal collection points. Residents who normally have waste collection Monday through Wednesday should have bulky waste curbside by Monday. Residents who receive waste collection Thursday and Friday should have bulky items out by Monday, May 13.
According to the city, all waste must be at curbside by 7 a.m. on the date that collection begins for each area. Crews will remove waste on a street-by-street basis, and will not return to a street once waste material has been collected. The department is asking that no items be placed at the curbside prior to Saturday, May 4.
Materials must be separated by type and placed in neat piles, without blocking sidewalks. No more than one truckload of materials will be collected per residence.
As part of the program, from May 4-18, Auburn residents may bring bulky waste materials, except brush and tires, directly to the Maine Waste to Energy facility on Goldthwaite Road, free of charge. Proof of Auburn residency is required.
The facility is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to noon Saturday.
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