Gastonia plans another Free Excess Household Trash week

Janiya Winchester, The Gaston Gazette
·1 min read
Gastonia residents along Huntington Drive take part in the free trash week offered by the city of Gastonia. Twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, Gastonia allows residents to throw away an unlimited amount of trash for free. The fall free trash week is Sept. 20-24.
Gastonia residents along Huntington Drive take part in the free trash week offered by the city of Gastonia. Twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, Gastonia allows residents to throw away an unlimited amount of trash for free. The fall free trash week is Sept. 20-24.

Just in time for spring cleaning, the city of Gastonia will haul away many types of large or bulky household trash items for one week without fees.

The popular Free Excess Household Trash Week takes place between March 21 and March 25 on customers’ regular trash collection day.

Customers should put eligible household trash at the curb on the week of their regular garbage collection day.

There will be no yard waste or leaf collection during this week and not everything will be hauled away for free.

During the free week, the city will charge a fee for removing these items:

  • Vehicle tires and rims

  • Appliances such as TVs, computers, washers, dryers, refrigerators and water heaters. Rule of thumb: If it has an electrical cord, the city charges a $25 fee per appliance.

Some of the most popular items left at the curb during Free Excess Household Trash Week are discarded furniture and mattresses.

Solid Waste crews always see a few unusual items left for the landfill such as pianos, grills, lawnmowers and outdoor playsets.

Year-round, solid waste crews do not collect or dispose of:

  • Automobile or engine parts, including batteries

  • Dirt, rocks, bricks, ceramic tile

  • Liquids, poisons or explosives

  • Paint cans that contain wet paint

The city will collect paint cans that have kitty litter or sand inside to dry up the paint.

Residents must take those items to the Gaston County Landfill for proper disposal.

The city offers Free Household Trash Week twice each year, typically near the first day of spring and first day of autumn.

Residents who want to know if particular items will be collected at no charge during the free week should call the city’s solid waste customer service office at 704-866-6774.

Reach Janiya Winchester at 704-869-1842 or jwinchester@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gastonia's Free Excess Household Trash Week is March 21 to March 25