Dove Creek sets spring cleanup dates for bulky items and scrap metal

Dove Creek opened its annual spring cleanup for town residents at the town yard, 505 W. 4th Street, giving households a narrow window to haul off bulky items, scrap metal and other clutter that does not belong in weekly trash pickup.

The first drop-off ran Saturday, May 9, from 8 a.m. to noon. The cleanup continues Monday through Thursday, May 11 through May 14, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or until the dumpsters are full. A separate scrap-metal dumpster is set on the west side of the old town hall.

The town limited the event to residents only and drew a sharp line on what could go in the bins. Accepted items include metal appliances, hot water heaters, microwaves without the glass tray, refrigerators and freezers only if they do not contain freon, and tire rims without rubber. The town also listed a scrap-metal dumpster for metal items.

Not everything makes the cut. Dove Creek will not accept tires, inner tubes, other large rubber items, batteries, anything containing acid, oil or oil-soaked materials, soil or any hazardous material. That narrow list matters because the cleanup is meant to stay safe and manageable, not turn into an open dumping ground.

The event, sponsored by Waste Management, gives residents a local way to get rid of broken appliances and heavy metal items that can sit for months in yards, sheds and alleys. It also helps cut down on illegal dumping, improves the look of neighborhoods and makes it easier for families to clear out space before summer and fire season.

Dove Creek has treated cleanup days as part of its code-enforcement work, according to a town newsletter, and the town also said it bought a used air curtain burner so residents could dispose of tree limbs at the maintenance yard on specific community drop-off days. The town describes itself as a statutory town, the county seat of Dolores County, with a population under 750. It was incorporated July 10, 1939.

The cleanup also comes as the town has faced a separate strain on local government operations. On May 5, Dove Creek posted that Town Hall was closed until further notice because of threats and inappropriate behavior directed toward staff and the Dove Creek Town Board.