Trash event to help residents dispose of junk

HARLINGEN — Have electronics or old furniture you’ve been meaning to throw away?

This event might be for you.

Keep Harlingen Beautiful and the City of Harlingen are coming together to help clean up the city.

This Saturday, the city is offering residents with a current water bill and valid identification an opportunity to dump their trash for free.

The city and Keep Harlingen Beautiful are combining three events into one including the Fall Litter Bash, E-Waste Event and Community-Wide Trash Off.

Melissa Boykin, from Keep Harlingen Beautiful, said the weekend will combine all three established events to make it easier for residents to get rid of items and at the same time volunteer.

“We are trying to make it as easy as possible for residents,” Boykin said.

The annual E-Waste Event and Community Wide Trash-Off focus on helping residents get rid of unwanted items.

“This is usually the time people are cleaning out their home, getting rid of the old and bringing in the new,” Boykin said.

Residents will be able drop off game consoles, furniture and up to four tires.

“A lot of people don’t know they can recycle electronics or that they should,” Boykin said.

The E-Waste Event will take anything with a cord, with the exception of older television models that are not flat screens.

According to Boykin, these television sets contain lead and a new law change forbids the recycling.

Members from Code Enforcement will be on-site for the Community-Wide Trash Off to take items unable to be recycled for free.

Both events will provide opportunities for residents to get rid of the unwanted items instead of illegally dumping them.

The Fall Litter Bash event will work toward cleaning up the city and picking up items that have already been thrown out.

The bi-annual event attracts more than 400 volunteers at a time and works toward keeping the city clean.

Boykin said the organization makes it easy for volunteers to make a difference, all they have to do is come prepared to pick up litter.

Those looking to volunteer with a group or organization can do so with the Fall Litter Bash and must sign up by Wednesday, Nov. 29.

More information about all events can be found on the Keep Harlingen Beautiful Facebook page.