LYNDONVILLE - Bulky Week in Lyndonville has transformed significantly since Paul Tomasi began working at the Northeast Kingdom Waste District. What now serves as a week-long opportunity for town residents to dispose of big, unwanted items, once took place over the course of a single day.
"I've been here now for 19 years, and when I first started, Bulky Week was actually Bulky Day. It was held out on Route 114, and it was a one day event. Overtime, probably the first three years I was here, traffic would back up onto 114 because it was such a popular event. People had so much material that they wanted to get rid of, so we decided we needed to do something different," said Tomasi, executive director of the Waste Management District.
The town decided to change the event to a week-long duration 15 years ago. They also decided to make it a biannual occurrence, hosting one Bulky Week in May, and another in October. According to Tomasi, the longer and more consistent schedule allows residents to make appointments, get in and out quickly, and it also gives the town time to shuttle containers to and from the landfill.
This year's spring Bulky Week will begin on Saturday, May 12, and run through the following Saturday, May 19.
Tomasi described the event as it sounds, an opportunity to get rid of "bulky" items. However, he also discussed certain misconceptions about the types of objects that can be brought in. "Alot of times people look at this as an opportunity for spring cleaning. So we see lots of non-recyclable plastics - flower pots, which can easily be put out for curb-side collection. Stuffed animals are another good one, smaller stuffed animals. The rule of thumb is, if it can fit inside of a trash-bag, that's the way it should be disposed of with your curbside trash."
He went on to state that electronics and scrap metal can be taken in year round, which is yet another misunderstanding he often finds among the community. He then encouraged residents not to wait until Bulky Week to bring in those types of items, as it will take less time and space away from the objects that depend on the event for disposal.
The waste management facility has five containers for Bulky Week items on site, each possessing a volume of 30 cubic yards. According to Tomasi, they generally fill between 20 to 25 of those containers throughout the week.
Tomasi was adamant in explaning that most of the items collected during Bulky week are taken to the landfill, but they do try their best to save any objects that are recyclable. "We do take care to make sure that if something comes in that can be recycled, scrap metal, and other items, that we divert those items free from these containers. Because we're here, this is what we do, collect recycling."
When asked who can participate, Tomasi stated only Lyndonville residents, as the event is paid for by the town. He went on to explain that the residents must also be participants of the town's sanitation tax.
For those who are interested in dropping items off during the week, Tomasi said that an appointment must be made ahead of time. He stated that appointments are scheduled in half hour increments, and although the weekend dates are fully booked at this point, there are still plenty of available time slots throughout the week.