The Town of Westlake would like to pass along a few updates regarding services provided to you and how they may be impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Trash and Recyclables
As of now, there are no anticipated changes to your trash and recycling service due to the Coronavirus, HOWEVER, Republic Services, who Westlake contracts for waste disposal, has provided us with some information that may help reduce the chances of any future disruptions.
- All waste MUST be bagged and placed inside the container to ensure the safety of sanitation employees. Items placed outside the container are not allowed and everything should be bagged that is placed inside the receptacle.
- Bulk items are the only pieces that can be placed outside of your container, HOWEVER, due to the large amount of these items being collected in recent weeks, the schedule may be impacted in the future. In the event Republic needs to make any changes to the bulk trash service we will notify you as soon as possible. Republic is monitoring their landfill and will inform Town staff if there are any changes in any of the services which would include trash, recyclables, and bulk trash.
- Recycling contamination increased by 20% last week. While crews are doing everything possible to keep up, the processing costs have significantly increased due to contamination. So please, be diligent in separating your trash from your recyclables. Not doing so creates additional work for crews thereby slowing down the process.
- And just as a reminder, we want to stress the importance of rinsing out recyclables to reduce the chance of contamination as well.
If you would like more information, Republic Services has set up a specific webpage dedicated to the impact of COVID-19 which can be found here. In the event there are any changes to service, we will notify you as soon as possible or you can visit Republic Services’ alert page for more info. They ask everyone to be patient during this time. There may be delays, but they’re doing everything they can to bring you quality service.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or issues at all, please contact Dianna Orender, Westlake’s Public Works Assistant via her email or by calling 817-490-5732. Westlake’s trash and recycling page is also an excellent resource as well.
Clogged Pipes
As more people are using alternative products due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), many are turning to paper towels, baby wipes, Clorox wipes, facial tissues, and flushable wipes for their daily needs. The problem is, what to do when you’re finished with them?
The answer: Throw them away, DON’T FLUSH THEM! Flushing toilet paper is okay, but the rest could cause clogged pipes. Even so-called “flushable wipes”, despite the packaging saying it’s safe, in practice, can cause problems. Cities around the US are experiencing issues with their sewage systems because too many people are flushing items that shouldn’t be disposed of in their toilets.
Needless to say, Westlake wants to avoid that problem by addressing it now! If you have any questions about what can be flushed, email Dianna Orender in our Public Works Department, or call her at 817-490-5732.
Please know that we are all in this together and do not want service limited or disrupted, but these are uncharted times and we ask for your help. For additional information about how COVID-19 may be impacting Westlake residents, please visit our dedicated Coronavirus page. We’ve just updated it with new resources for those with small businesses, those needing mental health support, and a hotline where you can call to ask an array of questions about the Coronavirus.
#DoYourPart #DoYourDistance
