Get ready for leaf, hazardous waste collection and street sweeping

LYNN ? The city Public Works Department requests local residents’ and merchants’ help to clean up Lynn streets this fall and prepare Pine Grove Cemetery for the winter.Associate Commissioner Lisa Nerich asks residents to remove planting baskets, vases, plastic flowers and any other graveside decorations from the cemetery starting on Oct. 15. She said city crews clean around grave plots in preparation for winter.?It’s important that anything meaningful to families is removed,” Nerich said.Residents can also do their part to clean up the city starting Oct. 28 through Dec. 6 with leaf and yard waste collections scheduled on trash pickup days. Leaves, grass and what Nerich described as “other easily-raked material” as well as twigs or brush no longer than four feet and one and one half inch in diameter should be placed curbside before 7 a.m. on collection days.Leaves and grass must be placed in uncovered barrels or paper ? no plastic ? bags. Tree stumps, rocks and larger materials will not be collected.Public Works has set Nov. 4 as the tentative start date for fall street sweeping. Residents should check signs on their streets for parking prohibitions associated with sweeping and look for temporary sweeping information signs Public Works employees will place on wooden barriers erected in neighborhoods where sweeping is underway.Sweeping will start in Ward 1 and schedules are subject to change based on weather with sweeping conducted from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Schedules will be broadcast on Comcast Channel 16 and Verizon Channel 38.Leaves swept into streets will not be swept up and, where necessary, vehicles blocking sweeper paths will be ticketed and towed.Public Works is also sponsoring a hazardous waste collection day on Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to noon at the city yard, 250 Commercial St. on the ocean side of the Lynnway.Residents must pay to dispose of waste, said Acting Interim Commissioner J.T. Gaucher, to cover costs associated with having Clean Harbor Environmental Services pack up solvents, petroleum products and pesticides in separate secure containers and transport the waste to a Braintree waste facility.?It costs a lot to get rid of hazardous waste but, in the big scheme of things, this keeps waste out of the storm drain system,” Gaucher said.The city disposal charge for up to 10 pounds or gallons of waste is $24 and 11 to 25 gallons or pounds is $44. Cash or checks are accepted as payment.Construction or demolition waste, car batteries, computers and televisions and medical and biological waste will not be accepted. Residents should dispose of latex paint by removing paint can lids, mixing cat litter in with the paint to dry it and dispose of the cans in the trash once the paint has completely dried.