Graham Fall clean up event starts next weekend

The annual Fall Clean Up event hosted by the city of Graham will kick off next weekend at the city convenience station. The annual event encourages various clean up methods through use of the convenience station and opportunities available during the kickoff event.

Each year the city has two clean up events in Spring and Fall, with the Spring event being hosted by the Keep Graham Beautiful organization on the downtown square in collaboration with the city of Graham.

Kickoff day for the clean up event this year will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Graham Convenience Station, at 1421 Avenue F. On kickoff day, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Paper Pig will be at the convenience station providing paper shredding with the first two bags or boxes free per household or business and each additional costing $5.

The station will be open for special extended hours daily during the clean-up event for bulk disposal. On Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 21-22, the convenience station will open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Oct. 16-20, the station will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Entry to the station will be monitored with proof of Graham residency via a city water bill and driver license required. No commercial or contractor disposal is allowed.

Examples of acceptable bulky items include old furniture such as chairs, tables, couches, recliners and lamps as well space heaters, air conditioners, clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers, stoves, stereos and televisions. Small items, such as toys and clothes, must be boxed or bagged if they are to be classified as a bulky item.

Items which are not accepted as bulky waste include appliances with batteries, regulated medical wastes, liquid waste, asbestos waste, radioactive waste, construction debris of any type and tires. Items such as shingles, brick, concrete, rock and heavy items are not general refuse and will be charged an additional fee for disposal.

Another service offered by the city during the clean-up week is for residents to take any extra recyclable materials to the station for free. This includes plastics, glass, aluminum, steel, tin, boxboard, chipboard, corrugated cardboard and mixed paper. Residents are also not charged a fee for the disposal of brush and leaves taken to the station.

Graham residents are also welcome to dispose of tires at the station for $6 per passenger tire and $12 to $50 per truck tire, depending on size.

The standard user fees for city residents are $15 per cubic yard for general refuse and $60 per cubic yard for concrete, bricks and rocks.