Grand Junction Colorado’s Spring Clean-Up Do’s and Don’ts 2023

The City of Grand Junction just announced the schedule for the Annual Spring Cleanup for the year 2023. It's coming up sooner than you think, so take a quick look at the calendar and start making plans.

The Spring Clean-up Program is a very popular service for many in Grand Junction. While the program covers some tremendous ground, it does not reach every home in the valley. Here's a look at the schedule and the areas to receive trash pickup.

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Grand Junction Colorado's Spring Clean-up Program

Grand Junction's annual Fresh as a Daisy Spring Clean-up Program provides trash removal at no cost for many residents. This is nothing new. According to today's post from the City of Grand Junction, a similar program has been offered since the early 1900s.

This program is a perfect opportunity for residents to get rid of unwanted household items and yard waste.

Pick Up Dates In Grand Junction

For residents north of North Avenue, pick-up will begin on Monday, April 3, 2023, at 6:30 a.m. For those south of North Avenue including Orchard Mesa and the Redlands, pick-up will begin Monday, April 10, 2023, at 6:30 a.m.

Looking at the map below, the yellow areas begin on April 3, and the green areas begin on April 10.

Items Not Picked Up With the Program

Items that will not be picked up include:

• Aerosol Cans
• Air and Gas Cylinders
• Air Conditioners
• Ammunition
• Amplified Speakers
• Antifreeze
• Asphalt Rubble
• Batteries
• Brick and Concrete Rubble
• Cables and Cords
• Calculators
• Cameras and Camcorders
• Cell Phones and PDAs
• Computers and Keyboards
• Electronic Waste
• Engines/Motors
• Fluorescent Light Tubes
• Freon
• Fuel Tanks
• Gaming Consoles
• Gasoline/Grease/Oil
• Hazardous Waste
• Insecticides/Pesticides
• Items Longer Than 6 Feet in Length
• Liquids of any kind
• Microwaves
• Paint/Stain
• Printers/Copiers
• Refrigerators/Freezers
• Road Flares
• Scanners/Fax Machines
• Shingles
• Spa and Pool Chemicals
• Televisions/Stereos
• Tires
• VCR/DVD Players

Guidelines To Follow

According to the post from the City of Grand Junction, items must be in one pile, placed up against the gutter in the front of the residence. Items should not be on lawns, sidewalks, or driveways.

Piles should be kept at least three feet from buildings, fences, mailboxes, and cars.

A Few Things To Consider

As a homeowner, this program has proven to be invaluable. Like many homeowners, over the course of the winter, I've assembled a collection of fallen tree limbs, a few wood scraps, and a handful of odds and ends that can't be placed in my trashcan for weekly pickup. That's where this program comes in.

A few years ago I posted something of a rant concerning ways in which this program is abused by residents. Please see the image below:

This was placed in front of my home during the program. There are a handful of problems:

• None of the items are mine. Someone else placed their trash in front of my house
• Trash was thrown all over the sidewalk and part of my yard
• Many of the items in the pile are on the list of things not included in the pick-up program. For starters, a microwave, mattresses, and not seen in the photo but included in the pile, a television.

Another Rant From Waylon

The post from the City of Grand Junction adds, "Consider donating or recycling unwanted items. For a list of organizations Gjcity.org/recycling." As you drive around town during the program, you'll see countless items that could have been recycled, refurbished, or put back into service.

Simply for the sake of making a point, a few years ago I grabbed an item out of a trash pile. After a few hours of enjoyable work, about $2 in sandpaper and paint, and a few pieces of scrap wood in my workshop, the item was refurbished and repurposed. Now, instead of taking up space in the Mesa County Landfill, it's being used by a friend's daughters when doing their homework.

What If You Put Out Too Much Trash?

Gjcity.org adds that items or a pile the size of a large dump truck, specifically 10 cubic yards or more, will be subject to a $150 charge.

Don't miss the opportunity to utilize this awesome program. After a quick call to the city, it was learned that crews will make precisely one sweep through each neighborhood. They will not return to pick up items set out late. In addition, items set out earlier than March 27, 2023, will be subject to fines.