City sponsored spring cleanup is just around the corner. Peabody residents may start moving items to the curb for pickup on Sunday, but are asked not to place items curbside before then.

“It gives the community a trashy look for too long a period and weather conditions can end up scattering things all over town,” said assistant city clerk Stephanie Ax.

Curbside pickup officially begins May 15.

Items taken to the curb should be bagged, boxed, or bundled. Residents who heap things into a pile will not have the curbside service.

“Residents need to remember the three Bs,” said Ax. “The refuse collectors won’t have time to pick piece-by-piece through a heaping mound of junk or use a shovel to get it into a trash truck.

“Collection is much cleaner and safer when the items are bagged, bundled, or boxed.”

Ax also noted that metal items should be placed at the curb in a separate area as a different truck and crew pick them up.

“Appliances also need to be separated,” said Ax, “and they now cost $20 to be picked up. The city office has special tags that residents need to purchase in advance and attach to the appliances before they will be picked up.”

All refrigerators and freezers must have their doors removed.

A manned roll-off Dumpster provided by Stutzman Refuse Service will be stationed at First and Olive streets from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and May 13, and 8 to 11 a.m. May 16. The Dumpsters are for residents who prefer not to wait for the curbside pickup schedule.

The Dumpsters are for city residents only and residents should be prepared to show proof of residence with a driver’s license or water bill stub. Tires will be accepted ONLY at the Dumpsters and residents will be charged $4 each to discard them.

Construction and demolition items are not accepted at the curb or Dumpster site. This material includes concrete, lumber, siding, fencing, Sheetrock, and similar materials. All of those items should be taken to Marion to the transfer station at 320 West Santa Fe. The transfer station staff should be called in advance.

Yard waste may be taken to the burn pit. Trash trucks will not pick-up limbs, clippings, and vegetation.

Household hazardous waste should be taken to the mobile collection unit May 16. The collection unit will be stationed at First and Vine streets from 9 a.m. to noon to accept cleaning supplies, paint, poisons, and other hazardous waste.

For more information, contact the city office at 983-2174.