Some confusion about the pickup policy for yard waste in Magnolia and Columbia County has been conveyed by residents to the Banner-News over the past few days, so a review and explanation of the yard and bulk waste disposal collection process is in order.
According to the Columbia County Judge's office, the county’s service contract provides for once-a-week collection and transportation of residential yard waste, including grass clippings, leaves, and tree and shrubbery clippings with an individual size not larger than eight inches in diameter or six feet in length. Occasionally, the clippings are not picked up when drivers are substituted or for reasons of equipment failure.
Regulations require that grass, leaves, flower stalks, stems and tree clippings be in a container, bag or box that does not exceed 35 pounds. Branches up to two inches in diameter shall be cut in length not to exceed six feet in diameter, and must be stacked at the curb. In most cases, if a customer pays a commercial lawn or tree service for work, it is the responsibility of the business doing the commercial work to dispose of any yard waste.
Yard waste doesn’t include sewage, earth or material used to fill land in accordance with construction codes, mining residues, slag and dissolved or suspended solids in industrial waste water effluents which are not acceptable for disposal in the sanitary sewage treatment system.
Bulk pickups are also available for items that include stoves, refrigerators, water tanks, washing machines, and furniture.
Agricultural solid waste, construction debris, dead animals, hazardous waste, offal waste, stable matter or vegetable waste with weights or volumes greater than those allowed for bins and containers are forbidden. To schedule a bulk pickup or to report a missed pickup customers can call WCA at 1-800-982-6722 or 1-870-725-3821.
The hours of collection shall not start before 6 a.m. or continue any later than 8 p.m. on the same day, and any exceptions to the hours are only by mutual agreement between the county and the waste collection contractor.