It's no secret that the annual Cape Girardeau city-wide Spring Cleanup brings out roving bands of treasure-seekers. They emerge when the sun goes down, hunting for goodies in a target-rich environment.

Like the saying goes: One man's trash is another man's treasure.

But Pam Sander, solid waste coordinator for Cape Girardeau Public Works, pointed out not everybody is joyous in anticipation of the five-day event, which for some amounts to a free, town-wide, flea market.

City employees have to bust their humps hauling away everybody's trash, she says.

Last year, 67 employees and more than 20 vehicles from the Solid waste/Recycling, Street, Stormwater/sewer, Wastewater, Water, and Fleet divisions of the Public Works Department logged 2,975 man-hours and 1,331 equipment-hours hauling away 850.15 tons of refuse.

"It's kind of a rough time for us," she said. "It's probably the hardest time of year for us."

Of last year's total, 88.95 tons of trash were compost-able, and 69.5 tons were "white goods" -- that is, appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, washers, and dryers.

Sander said she is aware of the treasure-seekers.

"As far as that goes, there's a seldom-enforced ordinance against that, so I can't comment or condone it," she said."The problem with that is people work hard to box the trash, and then people scatter it. That's the problem with scavengers."

Sander noted a Spring Cleanup phenomena where trash that is at the curb on Monday and Tuesday reappears on curbs in other parts of the city by Thursday, as the scavengers have second-thoughts about the items they've acquired.

Some Spring Cleanup rules

This year's Spring Cleanup is scheduled for April 16 through 20. During this week, Cape Girardeau Public Works personnel will pick up for free on your regularly scheduled trash day nearly anything you deposit on the curb, within the weight restriction. The city says the following rules must be met to have your refuse picked up during the event: * All refuse must be placed at the curb by 6 a.m. on the day of your normal trash collection.

* The trash must meet the weight requirement of no more than 75-pounds per container.

* Only residential customers of Cape Girardeau can participate.

* Grass, leaves and yard or garden waste must be bagged and kept separate from other refuse (because it will be collected by a separate vehicle). Brush and tree limbs must be bundled in four-foot lengths.

* Appliances must be at the curb, with doors removed for safety.

* No concrete, logs or railroad ties will be collected. Swing sets must be broken down. No tires, batteries, motor oil, automobile parts, pesticides, paint or other hazardous materials will be collected due to state law restrictions.

* Only a reasonable amount of refuse will be collected; typically what it would take two men to load in ten minutes.

* Refuse must be weighted so as to prevent blowing trash or spillage into the street.

Source: Cape Girardeau Public Works Department, solid waste division

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