Student move-out events include trash pick-up, materials exchange June 9-12

Western Washington University and the City of Bellingham are partnering to sponsor the fourth annual Neighborhood Trash Pickup in several neighborhoods near the university campus from June 9 to 12.

Student move-out events also include WWU-sponsored Move-Out Madness Materials Exchange, where students are encouraged to contribute reusable items and community members are invited to take home student-donated items.

The Neighborhood Trash Pickup and Move Out Madness Materials Exchange provide options for students looking for ways to properly dispose of unwanted residential trash and recycle reusable items. These programs target neighborhoods with high student populations.

Neighborhood Trash Pickup details

Students are encouraged to bring their trash for collection and disposal at no charge. Five collection points will be operational from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 9 to 12 at the following locations:

  • Happy Valley Neighborhood – gravel parking lot, 26th and Douglas streets
  • Sehome Neighborhood – Laurel Park, Indian and Laurel streets
  • York Neighborhood – Franklin Park, 400 block of Whatcom Street
  • South Hill Neighborhood – Armory Building, N. State and Pine streets
  • Samish Neighborhood – Lincoln Creek Transportation Center parking lot

The collection points will monitored by City of Bellingham Public Works staff to ensure that no hazardous or garden and yard waste is disposed of in the dumpsters.

Move Out Madness Materials Exchange details

Students are encouraged to bring reusable items such as clothing, electronics, appliances, books and clean furniture to a drop-off station located at the Fairhaven Upper Field off of South College Drive. This station will be open June 9 to 12 and is self-service.

Then from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 12, the Bellingham community is invited to peruse the contributions and take home useful student-donated items, enjoy live music and celebrate the start of summer.

In the past, neighborhoods with high numbers of student residents have been littered with improperly discarded trash and potentially reusable items at the end of the academic year, when many students leave the area for the summer. Because of the success of the trash pickup the past years, the university and city are once again offering this service.