Big item collection aims at college furniture leftovers

Rain couldn’t come at a worse time for recycling thrown out mattresses.

The college students are moving out and so the clean up begins.

Making that a little easier is La Crosse’s annual large item pickup period. 

Now through June 9, garbage crews will make extra rounds in La Crosse, picking up furniture that’s not usually part of garbage collection, Items like couches, recliners, dining sets, mattresses – although city council member David Marshall recommends keeping those mattresses covered in the rain.

“There’s nothing heavier, soggier or messier than a mattress that’s been out in the rain for awhile,” he said.

The pickup is limited to just five items, Marshall said, although that’s pretty inclusive.

“If you have the headboard, the mattress, the box springs, that all counts as one,” he said. “If you have dining room table and chairs, that’s one item.

“So, it’s a very liberal policy.”

The rule was put in place just two years ago to better deal with the college move out season, and the apparent unwillingness of students or landlords to deal with those piles of junk leftover as students head home for summer.

The city does have some guidelines for the disposal:

• There will be two collection days per dwelling, on your regular recycling day.
• Large items are to be placed at your normal refuse and recycling collection point.
• Items not placed there will not be collected.
• Mattresses and box springs will be picked up by a different contractor. Please place them away from the other large items at your collection point.
• Items shall not be set out more than 12 hours before collection and the property owner is responsible for removal of items placed out once pickup is complete for the season.
• Electronics and appliances are not allowed to be placed for collection.

Marshall, whose district surrounds the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus, believes it is making a difference.

“Every year it seems to be getting better and I think we’re learning from our past mistakes and we’re learning to deal with this situation better,” he said.

Year-round large item collection citywide ended three years ago.