Drop-Off Events Won’t Happen
Saint Paul Public Works will not hold any Citywide Drop-Off events in 2020. That includes the State Fairgrounds event, which tentatively had been rescheduled for Sept. 12.
The annual drop-offs typically were organized by district councils each spring and fall in different parts of the city. The events give residents an affordable and accessible way to dispose of household junk they cannot put in the trash — or at least not trash easily.
Two spring events were cancelled long ago because of the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic continues to create too many unknowns for fall events, says Kris Hageman, recycling programs manager for the city.
Two months out, it’s impossible to project whether state health guidelines even would permit the events, she says. Then there are the challenges of staging an event to maintain safety and social distancing, trying to predict how many volunteers would be comfortable staffing an event, acquiring appropriate personal protective equipment, and anticipating how many residents would participate if the events were significantly different from past years.
The city expects to mail a flier explaining what options residents have in disposing of bulky items through their regular trash hauler, or utilizing private waste stations.