The City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services will provide garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulky waste collection services according to the normal schedule on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. Residents are reminded of the following tips to ensure collection:

• Bag all garbage before placing in the garbage rollout cart. Do not overfill the cart.
• Remove food/liquid residue and LIDS from all recyclable containers before placing them in the recycling cart.
• Trimmings from shrubs and trees must be no longer than five feet in length and no larger than four inches in diameter.
• Place collection materials curbside by 6:30 am on day of collection. Rollout carts must be removed by midnight the same day.

Place collection items within six feet of the curb. Please do not block the sidewalk.

The weather is warming up and that means spending more time outdoors enjoying great weather, great company and great food around the grill. Don’t spoil the fun with a charcoal fire.

Charcoal can stay warm for a long time. The ashes can smolder – sometimes for days. When placed inside plastic bags and into plastic containers, they can cause a fire to not only the container it is in, but also to surrounding structures, like houses and cars.

From 2007-11, fire departments across the United States responded to nearly 9,000 house fires a year caused by grills. More than a quarter of those fires started on a courtyard, terrace or patio, and nearly 30 percent started on an exterior balcony or open porch.

Locally, three fires in just three months have been caused when residents put charcoal from a grill into a plastic garbage can. In all three cases, the fires caused significant damage, including destroying two homes and a car.

So, just how should you dispose of your charcoal?

Charcoal can be placed in your garbage cart, but please make sure:

·        Charcoal is completely cooled.

·        Place them to cool in a metal container with a metal lid.

·        Keep cooling coals away from flammable liquids and materials.

Get more tips on how to safely manage charcoal disposal.

Have fun and keep it safe!