SIMI VALLEY : Household Items to Be Collected

Simi Valley residents will be able to dispose of bulky household belongings, including old refrigerators and sofas, Saturday at the annual spring cleanup, sponsored by the city’s neighborhood councils.

The free event usually attracts so many participants that some vehicles must wait in line one to two hours to reach the disposal site, said Terisa Makarehchi, the city’s neighborhood council coordinator.

She said many residents use the event as an opportunity to rid their houses, garages and yards of tree limbs and other large items that are not usually picked up by residential garbage haulers.

“We get furniture, we get appliances,” Makarehchi said. “I’ve even gotten calls about camper shells. It’s an opportunity to dispose of bulky items. It’s basically a beautification campaign for the city.”

Old vehicles will be accepted if a resident brings the ownership slip, she said. But no hazardous wastes--including paint, insecticide, used oil or batteries--will be taken. The disposal program is not open to commercial or industrial firms.

The cleanup is restricted to Simi Valley residents, and participants must have identification that shows they live in the city.

Waste collection will occur between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Royal Avenue between Tapo Canyon Road and Voyager Avenue. Vehicles will be allowed to approach the collection site only from the eastbound lanes of Royal Avenue, beginning at Sequoia Avenue.

Participants must be prepared to unload their own refuse, though help will be provided to elderly and disabled residents.

Two local rubbish companies will haul the items to a landfill.