Get Ready for Next Week's Citywide Spring Cleaning

Oak Forest takes its spring cleaning seriously.

That's one way to think about the city's Clean Up Week, a way for residents to kick a variety of unwanted goods to the curb with the regular trash from April 22 to 26, according to a city press release.

The program lets residents throw away just about anything on their regular trash pick-up days as long as the items or in bags or containers. Here's a look at what items are allowed and what items aren't.

WHAT YOU CAN THROW AWAY

• Household garbage
• Yard waste (put in brown bags or marked cans)
• Branches (see the special instructions for these below)
• Bulk items, such as furniture and appliances
• Non-commercial construction material

WHAT YOU CAN'T THROW AWAY

• Commercial construction material
• Landscape timbers, such as railroad ties
• Concrete, rocks and dirt
• Hazardous or medical waste
• Electronics (keep reading for the city's special events for these items)
• Yard waste in plastic bags
• Tires

The Oak Forest Public Works Department also will have chipping crews picking up branches. Residents need to put them in bundles at the curb by 7 a.m. on their scheduled garbage day. Branches must follow these guidelines:

• less than 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length
• stacked in piles no higher than 3 feet

Branches larger than that should be cut into logs no longer than 24 inches and stacked at the curb.

When it comes to the disposal of electronics, residents can drop off these items from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at City Hall. The disposal event is sponsored by the Oak Forest Green Steps Commission, and the first 50 people get a free eco-shopper tote.

Contact the Oak Forest Public Works Department at 703-535-4090 for questions about Clean Up Week.

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