City sets Free Dump Day for May 15

LACONIA — Now that spring has arrived and people’s minds turn to clean-up projects, the city is letting residents know that Free Dump Day is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 15, at the Transfer Station, at 385 Meredith Center Road.

The annual event is a time when city residents rid themselves of all kinds of discards, sometimes even including the kitchen sink.

“I once saw someone bring a fiberglass boat,” Laconia Public Works Director Wes Anderson recalled.

The six-hour dump-a-thon allows residents to get rid of items for free when normally they would have to pay a fee for their disposal.

For example, on every other day the cost to dispose of construction debris and other waste is between $94 and $150 a ton, depending on the type of material, Anderson said. Tires cost $3 to $5 apiece to get rid of.

Anderson said that some people show up towing trailers loaded down with hundreds of pounds of stuff they are throwing away. The contents of some trailers can weigh as much as 500 to 700 pounds he said.

Items that will be accepted are appliances, water heaters, furniture, beds, plumbing fixtures, bagged leaves, and demolition lumber. A resident can dispose of up to six tires for free. Fees will be charged for disposal of electronic equipment because of the high cost to recycle those products, Anderson said.

Items which will not be accepted are auto tail pipes, mufflers, radiators, engines, batteries or hazardous waste, paints or solvents.

Disposal of leaves and recycling for Laconia residents is free all year. Residents do not need a dump sticker or day pass to dispose of leaves or recycling, but must have documentation that shows they are a Laconia resident, Anderson said.

Due to the social distancing requirements, city and Waste Management employees will not be able to assist residents in unloading their trash. Residents who need help with unloading will need to bring help with them.

In years past, between 200 and 250 people have taken advantage of the event. In the hope of spreading out the turnout more evenly, Anderson said people are being encouraged to come to one of three specified time periods depending on the first letter of their last name.

The breakdown is: 7 to 9 a.m., A through and including G; 9 to 11 a.m., H through and including N; and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., O through and including Z,

But Anderson stressed that this is being requested as a matter of convenience in order to minimize wait times, but that a resident can come at any time regardless of their last name. However, anyone who shows up after 1 p.m. will be turned away, he said.

Because of the unusually high amount of traffic, businesses are discouraged from coming to the transfer station on that day.

Further information about what is acceptable and what is not is available by calling the Department of Public Works at 603-528-6379.