County, community leaders curb national Curb Day program

(May 8, 2009) Curb Day is being promoted across the country as a way to recycle and keep items out of landfills, but do not expect to see much participation in the Ocean City area.

Called the world's biggest giveaway, Curb Day (www.curbday.com) is Saturday, May 16. On that day, people all over are invited to place unwanted (but still valuable) items on curbs for others to cart away for free.

"It would have been nice if it coincided with the citywide clean-up," said Hal Adkins, director of the Ocean City Department of Public Works.

Ocean City's annual collection of bulk items was held April 18-19, when residents and property owners placed unwanted items by the curb to be picked up by the solid waste division of Public Works.

Created by Mike Monroe, a former teacher in Rochester, N.Y., Curb Day has attracted much attention. On Monday, it was No. 2 on the list of the top ideas at www.globalideasbank.com. Millions of items are expected to be placed out and picked up on May 16.

Adkins said he would want the event presented to the City Council before he could endorse it. Because Ocean City's bulk collection day was so recent, there is no need for a Curb Day now, he said.

Although Ocean City's annual collection program is not promoted as — or even intended to be — a time for people to drive around and take what they want, although that has been a common practice for some, who seek out usable items for their own benefit during the resort's bulk collection day.

Berlin also has a townwide cleanup day — a fall bulk trash collection in November, when residents may place furniture, mattresses, toilets, sinks, appliances and other unwanted items by the curb for pick up by the town.

On May 11, the Berlin Town Council will have a public hearing on an ordinance regarding garbage, rubbish and refuse. Part of it states that items too bulky for placement in an approved container may not be placed for collection except for special bulk waste pickup days. It also adds a section about scavenging that would make it illegal for anyone to disturb refuse containers or their contents.

Ocean Pines does not have a bulk collection day, but it is not uncommon for Piners to place furniture and other bulky items by the curb. Sometimes, the items have a sale price, but at other times, they are free for the taking.

General Manager Tom Olson said the community would not be promoting Curb Day, but he noted the occasional practice of Ocean Pines residents placing items curbside for others to pick up.

The county will also not be promoting Curb Day, primarily because owners tend to leave unwanted items by the curb if no one retrieves them by the end of the day, said Kim Moses, the county's public information officer. The county has no plans to pick up those items.