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Chesapeake official explains bulk pickup rules and where residents can drop off hazardous household waste
Summary
Jeff Spencer, Waste Management Administrator for the Department of Public Works, told the City of Chesapeake’s Works In Progress program how residents can request bulk pickup, which items crews won’t collect for safety reasons, and where hazardous household waste may be taken, including SPSA’s Greenbrier site.
Jeff Spencer, Waste Management Administrator for the Department of Public Works, outlined how Chesapeake residents can schedule bulk waste pickups and where to dispose of hazardous household waste.
Spencer said residents may request bulk pickup by calling the Customer Contact Center at 757-382-2489 (382-CITY), through the City of Chesapeake website (CityOfChesapeake.net), or via the city’s mobile app. He advised callers to specify the items at the curb so crews can assign the correct vehicle type.
"When they call into the Customer Contact Center, they'll be asked what items they have so they can specify," Spencer said. "So we'll know exactly what type of truck that needs to go out to pick it up." He described two primary collection vehicles: a bulk grapple truck (the claw-equipped vehicle) and a reloader truck with operators who can remove items by hand.
Spencer listed common bulk items crews collect — furniture, mattresses and other household goods — but cautioned that hazardous materials are not eligible for curbside pickup. "Hazmat. Hazardous materials such as flammables. Any flammables, combustibles, anything that might ignite in the back of your waste truck," he said, adding examples including propane tanks, pool chemicals, aerosol cans and paint containers with residue.
If crews encounter prohibited items at the curb, Spencer said inspectors or supervisors will inspect and tag the items as violations and attempt to identify and contact the resident to explain why the materials cannot be collected. "We currently have 3 inspectors, waste inspectors," he said of the department’s enforcement staff.
Spencer also gave guidance on placement for bulk items: residents should place bulky material at the nearest portion of the curb without obstructing sidewalks or traffic and avoid placing items under wires or near mailboxes or vehicles so collection vehicles can operate safely.
For hazardous household waste, Spencer directed residents to SPSA facilities: the SPSA landfill, the SPSA transfer station at Greenbrier, or a regional landfill in Suffolk. He said SPSA accepts Chesapeake residents and noted that Greenbrier runs 12 collection events per year for drop-off of hazardous items.
The segment aired as part of Works In Progress; host Allison Harper thanked Spencer at the close of the program. The city’s Customer Contact Center and the City of Chesapeake website provide current scheduling details and lists of acceptable and prohibited items.
