Spring clean-up disposal site opens Saturday in Windham

Windham's bi-annual lead and brush disposal service area opens
at the end of Enterprise Drive in North Windham at 7 a.m. and
runs through May 9. COURTESY PHOTO

By Daniel Gray

With the snow melted, it's time to work on our yards. That means Windham residents have access to dispose of brush while getting spring yard work done.

 

Starting at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 17, the bi-annual leaf and brush disposal services are offered to any Windham resident who needs to get rid of spring clean-up of brush, leaves and grass from their yards. The location for the drop-off is the end of Enterprise Drive in North Windham. 

To use the service, load up your vehicle and go behind the self-storage units. It's open 24/7 to residents and will be open for three weeks, closing at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 9.

There are no requirements other than leaving with bags or containers used along with not dumping inorganic materials such as trash. Leaves, grass clippings, branches, stumps, etc. are allowed. However, any brush must be less than a 12 inch diameter.

While Windham's Public Works department once handled both spring and fall brush disposal services, the recent expansion of their headquarters required the help from R.J Grondin and Sons, a family-owned construction company.

Larry Grondin, vice president of Grondin and Sons, said that it was a "good fit" in regards to offering a hand helping out with brush disposal for the town.

"After we helped with Public Works' new building, the initial plan was to just help out while construction was taking place,” he said. “Though we settled on us taking over with the brush disposal entirely since they no longer had the room for it. It's worked out so far for us both and we like working with them."

Doug Fortier, Windham’s Public Works Director, recalls the history behind the brush disposal services.

"We had been doing it for around 20 years," Fortier said. "And it all started when around this time people would start fires to get rid of their branches and leaves. This would affect residents with breathing problems, so then the Public Works Department took it over to make everyone happy."

All materials gathered during the spring and fall brush seasons are given new life through Grondin and Sons.

Instead of burning them like residents in the past once would, Grondin and Sons instead repurposes the organic materials. The leaves are composted, and wood-based materials go toward creating heating materials. 

It's great knowing that Grondin uses the materials gathered instead of having it all go to a waste facility. The plant life gains a new purpose, and it allows residents to clean their own yards.

According to Grondin, they get around 400 to 500 yards in cubic feet in disposed brush and leaves. “It is amazing how much shows up after three weeks," he said.

According to Grondin, it's hard to fully analyze how much is gathered each year, but it's noted that it's at least a few dump trucks full to give people some perspective on the size of seasonal drop-offs from Windham.

On weekdays, there will be at least one person tending to the piles and turning the leaves when needed. Workers also stop by on weekends to maintain piles and to keep the service open.

All residents need to do to use the service is to unload their brush and place it within the correct piles.

If you're cleaning out small trees or need a place to get rid of your lawn clippings, stop by the brush disposal anytime, Grondin said.

He said to be sure to double check and make sure that anything you would like to drop off meets the few requirements asked by the Public Works Department.

 

For any further information regarding this season’s brush disposal, contact the Public Works department by calling 207-892-1909 or visit their website at www.windhammaine.us. <