Lexington to restart yard waste pickup Monday. Residents urged to do this for safety.

Lexington will resume weekly yard waste pickup on Monday, the mayor announced Wednesday.

The city stop picking up yard waste March 23 when it was deemed too risky because of the coronavirus.

Yard waste will be collected on the same days residents’ trash and recycling pickups are. The city is divided into five areas, four of which have designated days of the week — Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday — when garbage, recycling and yard waste bins are emptied.

Waste is picked up once a week except downtown where garbage is collected daily, according to the city’s schedule. For recycling and garbage, trucks are equipped with mechanical arms that handle the bins.

But yard waste containers must be rolled by crew members to the truck, touching handles and lids.“That made it difficult to provide the service and protect our employees,” Mayor Linda Gorton said.

“The city is now cautiously optimistic that, with the public’s help, it can collect yard waste safely,” according to a city press release.

Residents were asked to wipe the lid and handle after taking the gray container to the curb and again when moving the emptied container from the curb to the house.

Meanwhile, the city’s waste management department is using personal protective equipment and cleaners to protect workers.

“We have implemented several practices to allow for weekly cleaning of all trucks, inside and outside,” said Nancy Albright, commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works. “We have a steady supply of the types of PPE needed for employees, allowing us to resume regular service.”

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 1:09 PM.