EudoraNews.com

Starting Monday, Eudora will establish a spring-cleaning tradition.

City workers and residents alike will try to spiff up the town through a citywide clean-up week.

That means any dust-gathering couches, tables or larger items can be disposed of free-of-charge from Monday through Friday. Bags of yard waste can also be disposed of during extended hours on those days from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the city yard, 408 Locust St.

In the past, the dates of the city's annual spring clean up fluctuated, but the Eudora City Council voted April 9 to set it for the first full week of May each year.

The action could help the drive become more effective in the long run, Eudora City Administrator Cheryl Beatty said.

"They'll know exactly when it's going to be every year."

The steady date could give residents several weeks to prepare what they want picked up, she said.

"(Citizens) always have good participation in it because most that have lived here a little while understand that once a year they have the opportunity to get rid of big and bulky items," Beatty said.

Instead of picking up larger items one day a month, the city will pick up the items each day of the workweek next week, Beatty said.

Although the city will be picking up refuse throughout the week, workers won't be able to take everything.

Any hazardous materials must be disposed of elsewhere in the county, Beatty said.

Ineligible items include tires, oil, chemicals, paint, construction materials, dirt, concrete, animal remains, commercial or industrial waste, liquid or explosive materials and yard waste.

While yard waste can be taken care of within the city, hazardous waste can be dropped off by appointment at the Lawrence Waste Reduction and Recycling Center, 711 East 23rd St.

So far the city has had good response from the community regarding clean-up week, Beatty said.

"People are getting prepared," she said.

She encountered several recurring questions about hazardous materials and larger items like refrigerators, Beatty said.

"We're only going to pick up refrigerators if the Freon has been removed," Beatty said.

Beatty has also answered multiple questions about old tires, she said. Tires can be dropped off at the waste reduction and recycling center.

For more information about the clean-up week, call the city shop at 542-3100.

For more information on hazardous waste pickup, call the Lawrence Waste Reduction and Recycling Center at 832-3030.