Garbage pickup services are extremely common in the United States. In fact, 87% of residents have access to curbside pickup. With this service, you put your trash out in the dumpster or on the side of the road and the garbage truck will come to pick it up on your designated trash day. However, there are things that you need to know about garbage pickup. When it comes to safety and convenience, this information can make the service much better for you and the garbage crew.

You Can Help Keep the Trash Crew Safe

Garbage collectors often pickup garbage with their hands. So, if you have anything sharp in your trash bag, they risk getting cut with it. Before you throw out broken glass, wrap it in paper towel or another protective covering and then put it in the trash. Certain chemicals can also cause fumes or fire danger in the truck, so follow the proper disposal instructions for household cleaners.

You Need to Bag Your Trash

Even though it’s all going into the back of the truck, you need to bag your trash securely. This makes it much easier to take everything without worrying about it scattering and making a huge, embarrassing mess. Use strong trash bags that don’t split easily. Once the trash truck leaves your house, it still needs to deliver the trash to the landfill. Secure bags will make that trip much easier.

Your Town Might Pickup Garbage and More

If you are getting rid of large items, you probably can’t just put them all out on the curb. However, you can work with your city or town to get rid of the junk. Some places have guidelines in place that allow things like one large item in the garbage each week. Other places instruct you to call them and let them know that you’ll be putting out trash. If you’re polite and reasonable, your city will probably be able to either help you get rid of bulky garbage or they’ll be able to point you in the direction of another service that can help you.

Having someone pickup garbage and take it away is a service that many take for granted. By knowing these facts and applying them in your daily life, you can make things easier for both your garbage collectors and yourself.