Tips to help with high winds on trash collection days
Windy weather conditions can cause certain challenges regarding the collection of solid waste materials for curbside customers. The high velocity winds can blow trash out of the poly carts, and completely knock them over if the weight of the cart is light. To help reduce the risk of potential trash debris scattering, incurring possible injuries, or losing poly cart(s), the City of Norman has provided a few steps to help mitigate these issues:
- If a poly cart is less than sixty percent full, the homeowner should consider waiting until the next week’s service to set the cart out for service.
- If possible, please return poly carts at your residence back to a secure location for storage as soon as they are emptied to avoid the possibility of the cart blowing away.
- Please be sure to not overfill the poly cart because trash will more than likely blow out from the cart.
- Please try to bag lighter items (having more of a likelihood to blow out in high winds) with heavier items to help prevent the possibility of these items blowing out from the cart; please try to level the load in the poly cart as much as possible.
- Please make sure lid is closed completely whenever the poly cart is set out for service.
- To avoid lid fly up while placing a poly cart, do not push or pull cart with the lid opening opposite of the wind. Utilize the wind direction to your advantage and face the lid opening away from the wind while rolling the cart to the curb.
Displaced carts that are happened upon can be collected and phoned into the Solid Waste Division at 405-329-1023 for proper location identification and return.
You can download the flyer containing these tips here.
Trash bin cleaning service in Norman
Sometimes, trash bins can get smelly - it's the nature of the business! For those sensitive to odors, companies in our community provide bin cleaning services. Two such companies that also handle the wash water appropriately are Grossbusters (https://thegrossbusters.com/) and Spiffy Cans (https://www.spiffycansok.com/). These private companies have their own pricing and programs. Visit their websites for more information.
Trash Collection Information
Automated Trash Collection
The City of Norman Sanitation Division would like to take this opportunity to familiarize you about the automated collection system.
Each cart has a serial number that is assigned to each address for residential use. If or when a resident moves to another location, the cart shall remain at the resident’s address that it is assigned to.
Loading Your Cart
All household trash must be placed in the cart. Household trash consists of garbage and rubbish (such as clothing, food packaging, food scraps, etc.) Lift the hinged lid from the front (opposite the handles) to load your waste. Please do not overload the container. The lid should not be open more than six inches. To prevent windblown debris and the collection of rainwater, the lid should be closed completely.
Items that should not be placed in the polycart, include, but are not limited to:
Lumber, metal, furniture, remodeling/demolition debris, rocks, concrete, dirt, yardwaste, hot ashes, coals, paint or other hazardous materials.
Placement of the Cart
The cart must be rolled to the curb or alley for collection no later than 7:00 am on the day of collection.
Roll the cart to within 2 feet of the curb or alley and face the handles away from the street or alley.
Leave at least 3 to 4 feet clearance on all sides.
Please keep carts away from parked vehicles, mailboxes, trees and shrubs.
All trash must be placed inside the polycart. Trash placed outside the polycart will not be picked up.
Polycarts may be placed at the curbside no earlier than 12:00 p.m. the day prior to collection and must be removed from the curbside no later than 12:00 p.m. the day following collection.
Other than collection times, the polycart shall be placed house side, not left at the curb.
Additional Polycarts
Additional polycarts may be provided for an additional charge.
Bulky Items
Bulky items may be picked up for an additional charge. Call the Sanitation Division at (405)-329-1023 to schedule a pick-up on the next available date. Note: Bulk Pick Ups are not scheduled during the time of Fall and Spring Clean Up.
To find your collection day, view our interactive Residential Sanitation Collection Maps.