As Western senior and York resident Jordan Greek prepares to graduate with a Business degree on Saturday June 12, he is confident to be starting a new chapter in his life. However, he was unsure about what to do with the things that were holding him here in Bellingham—his unwanted furniture.

Lucky for Greek, York neighborhood’s annual Dumpster Day occurs on the first weekend of June, just in time for graduating seniors to get rid of all their unwanted items.

Dumpster Day is an opportunity for York residents to dump trash they don’t want into a large Dumpster set up in the Nelson’s Market parking lot, on Humboldt and Potter Street. Residents can bring almost anything that fits in the 30-cubic-yard Dumpster for no charge, sponsored by Sanitary Service Company. Greek was able to bring a mattress and box spring, as well as his old computer desk and kitchen table.

“I mean it’s really helping me out,” Greek said. “I think it’s better than having people leave stuff on the side of the street saying ‘free.’ ”

What’s going on this year at Dumpster Day

This year, York volunteers are making sure to fit as much junk as possible into the Dumpster, compacting everything that is thrown into the Dumpster so that more people can bring more stuff.

“We don’t want it to end up back in their yards, so let’s try to fit everything,” Anne Mackie said, York Neighborhood Association president and Dumpster Day volunteer.

The event was supposed to start at 8:30 a.m., but neighbors started showing up at as early as 7:45 a.m., and were turned away by some of the volunteers, who told them to come back later.

“Every year it gets shorter and shorter because people learn to come earlier [in the morning],” said Jon Ostbe, owner of Nelson’s Market. “They drive by when it says ‘closed’ and they learn to come earlier [the next year].”

Neighbors and volunteers brought garbage bags, wheelbarrows and even entire trucks full of unwanted items from the neighborhood. Some of the trash found was a rusty lawn mower, a stained rug, old wash baskets, a cracked birdhouse, busted tires, a broken couch and an old barbecue.

One woman even asked if she could bring her old stand-up piano, but volunteers had to turn her away due to lack of space—the Dumpster was completely full by 10 a.m.

The history of Dumpster Day

Dumpster Day started 1979, when volunteers from the Air National Guard would bring an unlimited supply of Dumpsters and go door-to-door with their trucks collecting unwanted items. The funding for this was eventually lost, causing the York Neighborhood Association to recreate the event.

“Every year it’s organized differently, but we still get it done,” Mackie said. “It’s worth a lot because it’s free.”

Neighborhood volunteers reminded York residents frequently before the event to bring their trash on Saturday June 5, and they even passed out fliers to students waiting at the bus stop on Franklin Street as a reminder for the event, said Kirsti Charlton, York Neighborhood Association Vice President.

Greek said he missed the event last year, so he was happy to receive his flier when he was waiting for the bus.

“I knew the event was coming up, I just didn’t know when,” Greek said. “I have been using this bed for three years and I won’t have room for it after I graduate. I had to make sure I didn’t miss [Dumpster Day] this year.”

“Ultimately, property owners and landlords needs to take responsibility,” Mackie said. “A lot of young people have a lot of stuff they need to get rid of, and they don’t know what to do with it.”

What the neighborhood plans for next year

As for next year, plans are being discussed on having two Dumpsters instead of one—one for garbage, and one for recycling. However Mackie is unsure that the neighborhood would be able to get two Dumpsters for free.

“If we can get them for free, and find another location like [Nelson’s Market] to keep them at night, then I’m sure we can figure something out,” Mackie said.