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Streets and Sanitation

Functions in the Street Department include maintenance of pavements, drainage systems, sidewalks, curbs and gutters.  It also includes street sweeping, mowing right of ways, leaf collection in the fall, and snow and ice removal in the winter. Also included is the maintenance of traffic signs and guardrails, pavement striping and markings, maintenance of most Town owned vehicles, and special support activities for the Virginia Highlands Festival and the Washington Co. Fair and Burley Festival Parade and several smaller civic group and community activities throughout the year.

A fully automated solid waste collection system was initiated in November, 1999 providing rollout containers for weekly curbside service to residential customers. The town also provides monthly cleanup days (first Tuesday of each month) for bulky rubbish and white goods and regular weekly brush collection. Approximately 2,920 tons of refuse was collected in 2007. In addition to the refuse, approximately 2,310 cubic yards of leaves were collected and transported to a facility for composting.

Solid Waste Services

Waste Products Collected in Roll-Out Carts (Normal Weekly Pickup)

1. Residential solid waste consisting of:
   • Garbage (refer to the label inside the lid of your cart)
   • Household trash
   • Grass clippings
2. Light commercial solid waste (i.e. waste which is residential in nature but is generated by a small business not using dumpster service)

 If you have any questions about this service or if you need a cart which is smaller than the standard 96 gallon size, please call the Street & Sanitation Superintendent at 628-2361. You may request an additional cart for a service charge of $3.35 per month for a minimum of six (6) months. Carts are the property of the Town and are furnished without charge.

Roll-Out Carts Use and Care
Roll-Out Carts Rules and Regulations

Other Collection Services

The Town collects the following items at no charge (see collection schedule below):

• Brush and trimmings from shrubbery and trees. Tree limbs must be no longer than ten (10) feet in length and must be no more than six (6) inches in diameter.
• Bulky Rubbish, which is acceptable for collection but too large for the roll-out carts, such as desks, chairs, large empty boxes, etc. will be collected by the Town on the FIRST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH. Bulky rubbish should not be set out prior to Monday.
• White Goods are large metal appliances such as stoves, washing machines, clothes dryers, water heaters, and refrigerators. (Note: All refrigeration units must have their compressors removed and drained of refrigeration fluid and oil before they can be collected by the Town).
• Leaves will be collected in season when placed in a row (NOT in bags) along the edge of the street.

The Town does not collect the following:

• Refrigeration units which contain any type of refrigerant
• Demolition and construction waste
• Stumps, tires, batteries, fence wire
• Hazardous wastes such as Freon, oils/solvents, insecticides, pesticides, liquid paints, etc.

Special Instructions

1. Brush, Bulky Rubbish, and White Goods
   • Please separate brush, bulky rubbish, and white goods for collection.
   • Place the stacks next to a street or near the curb and gutter but NOT in the street, or blocking the gutter or ditch line, or obstructing access to a roll-out cart.
   • To facilitate safe collection, do not place directly under power lines or against fences.
2. The Town will make special large-quantity collections (for example, cleaning out a basement or attic) on a charge basis. Call the Superintendent at 628-2361 at least two workdays before collection is desired to make arrangements. These collections will be made subject to the availability of equipment and to ultimate disposability at the County Landfill or Bristol Landfill. The cost will be a $20.00 service charge plus the tipping fee, which is assessed by weight at the disposal site.
3. If you are not sure how to dispose of an item, please contact the Superintendent at 628-2361 for instructions BEFORE setting it out for collection.

Collection Schedule

Roll-Out Carts: Once a Week
Brush Collection:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Bulky Rubbish:  1st Tuesday each month
White Goods:  1st Tuesday each month
Large Quantity Collection:  As Needed Depending Upon Available Equipment

Recycling & Recyclable Collection Trailers

Recycling is picked up on the same schedule as the roll-out containers. Abingdon’s recycling collection is performed by Waste Management.  Please contact 1-800-838-7143 for more information.

Recycling Guidelines

Public Works:  Streets

The Street Department consists of 25 full time employees and 4 part time employees.  The Town’s Street Department handles all repairs, patching, cleaning, painting, paving contracts and right of way mowing.  Contact the Street Department at (276) 628-2361.

The Street Department is responsible for clearing all debris from public roadways including litter, dead animals, fallen tree limbs, etc.  They also maintain the streets regularly for routine sweeping.

Snow removal in the Town of Abingdon is performed by the Street Department.  Priority clearance is provided for main thoroughfares, bus routes, and secondary streets.  If there is sufficient snowfall, snow plows are utilized with salt spreaders. 

All public street signs including regulatory, warning and guide signs are installed and maintained by the Street Department.

The Street Department is responsible for asphalt patching and repairing potholes in public roadways and parking lots.

Storm drainage systems are cleared of obstructions on a regular basis with critical areas inspected and cleared by the Street Department before, during or after major storms.