Due to ongoing concerns about bed bugs and general sanitation, Waste Management is strictly enforcing the requirement that mattresses be securely wrapped before they’re set out at the curb for disposal.
Mattresses must be completely wrapped in plastic. Examples of what to use are shrink-wrap, paint drop cloths, tarps, or similar material. These can be purchased at local hardware stores or large retailers.
We appreciate everyone’s cooperation when disposing of unwanted items. Proper disposal is essential for the health and safety of all residents, city staff, and waste haulers. In addition, now that winter weather has arrived, it is important to not have items blocking the street, so that snow plows can easily get through.
If you place an unwrapped mattress at the curb, Waste Management or the city’s Code Compliance Division will tag it with a large green sticker (see attached image). This means the mattress must be wrapped and placed back at the curb for pickup.
Anyone with additional questions about specific items and whether they can be placed at the curb can contact the city’s environmental programs coordinator, Tiffany Welsh, at 269-966-0712. For additional information on prevention and control of bedbugs, please visit http://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/Bed_Bug_Manual_v1_full_reduce_326605_7.pdf.
For more information about the city’s recycling and related services, visit our website, www.battlecreekmi.gov. Navigate to Your Government, Public Works, Environmental Services.