Cluster Association
In observance of Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4th, there will be no trash collection services provided.
Trash collection will resume on your next regularly scheduled trash collection day; recycling collection will resume on your next regularly scheduled recycling collection day and yard waste collection will resume on your next regularly scheduled yard waste collection day.
UPDATE (12/11/2022): last leaf pick up date has been delayed until Monday, December 19
Weather permitting, Cardinal Landscaping will pick up leaves on the following dates:
Please rake your leaves onto the sidewalk or to the edge of the road in front of your property. Leaves from the rear of your property must be brought around to the front. For pickup by Cardinal, leaves must not be bagged as they are directly vacuumed into their work truck. Please do not rake any leaves from your property onto any Cluster areas, into the woods, or onto nearby Reston Association property.
Thank you for your cooperation!
BWWCA Board
Bentana Woods West Residents,
We are announcing our new waste management contract with Patriot Disposal.
Service will start on Friday, December 9, 2022.
The Board would like to provide some insight for our residents about the history and state of our current situation regarding trash collection. When our contract with Republic was approaching an end earlier this year, the Board sought quotes from competitors due to cost increases and lack of communication by Republic when we reached out to report service issues. In particular, the Board was concerned with the series of cost increases beginning in 2021, some of which the Board wasn’t entirely convinced was covered by the language in the contract.
As we reached out for quotes from several companies, Haulin’ Trash provided a good contract price, with clear instances written into the contract for price increases, and had several years’ worth of high reviews from other communities in the area. Board members also spoke with several references Haulin’ Trash provided. For these reasons, we engaged Haulin’ Trash for our trash service.
Between the time that the Board signed a contract with Haulin’ Trash and December 1st, American Disposal Services (ADS) significantly cut back their service to their clients and increased their rates. Due to how waste management is handled in the county, this change by ADS was felt throughout the region. As residents switched service providers, Haulin’ Trash saw an increase in customers and recently had multiple vehicles go out of service due to unexpected and catastrophic mechanical failures. Our property management company has also noted that the current waste management situation is by far the worst they have ever seen in Fairfax County.
With Haulin’ Trash going out of business, the Board held an emergency board meeting to coordinate our plan of action. We reached out for new quotes from waste management companies and received quotes from Republic and Patriot. Generally, we saw higher rates and lower levels of service. We held a second emergency board meeting to review the proposed contracts. The Board used the feedback that we received to make our decision to use Patriot Disposal. Patriot’s ability to provide trash pick up two times a week was a driving factor in our decision.
Patriot will supply bins for those who need a new trash bin. However, you are free to use your own or continue to use the Haulin’ Trash bin. The supplied trash bin is a 64-gallon wheeled cart. The supplied recycle bin is an 18-gallon tote bin (dimensions 26x16x15 LxWxH).
On Saturday, December 10, 2022, Patriot will drop off a supply of 18-gal bins for recycling that residents may pick up if needed. The dropoff location will be the grassy island on Scandia 1. Patriot will collect any unclaimed bins at a date to be determined. There is a backorder on 64-gal trash bins, but they will be delivered at a later date.
We thank you for being patient with this situation and appreciate your understanding.
Sincerely,
The Bentana Woods West Cluster Association Board
Important: we received an unexpected email last night that Haulin’ Trash is filing chapter 7 bankruptcy and is ceasing operations immediately.
What does this mean for the Cluster?
We will communicate as soon as we have any further information. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate the situation.
If you have any experience in the trash industry, or know anyone that does, we would definitely appreciate your input.
Please contact us at bod@bwwca.org if you have any questions.
Hello Scandia neighbors,
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. While the Scandia parking lot was supposed to open early this morning, the asphalt vendor came by and put the tape back up, as the parking lot was still wet in places. Especially due to the amount of rain we received over the last week.
Please be aware so that you can avoid any wet areas. While the tape to the entrance has been removed, there are still some wet areas – especially in lower, shaded areas of the parking lot.
Please contact us at bod@bwwca.org if you have any questions.
Phase 1 – Thursday 29th September
Farsta Court and Park Glen Court
Phase 2 – Thursday 6th October
Scandia Circle
This work will be done in two phases to minimize parking problems on North Shore Drive. The appropriate sections will be sealed in the morning and marked later in the afternoon. ALL cars parked on the Cluster must be removed by 7am and not returned until 7am the
following day (Friday).
Cars in driveways do not have to be removed but must not be driven over the Cluster during that same time period. If you know of neighbors who may be absent during that time period please encourage them to arrange for their vehicles to be taken out of the Cluster. We do not wish to have them towed out at the owner’s expense.
We received communications from Republic Services around trash pickup delays due to the snow. Because of the inclement weather and poor road conditions, all services have been suspended for Tuesday 01/04.
The trash pickup this week may be altered and they are suggesting that residents leave their containers outside, by the roadside.
As a quick reminder, Republic will be doing a tree pickup on the first two Wednesdays of January (January 5th and January 12th). These dates may also be impacted by the delays, but trees can be left at the curbs.
Republic Services will be performing a Christmas tree pickup on the first two Wednesdays of January (January 5th and January 12th).
Via Republic:
We provide a special collection for Christmas Trees up to 8 feet long during the first two weeks of January on your regularly scheduled yard waste day. Please remove all decorations & tinsel before placing at the curb. Trees not picked up by the second Wednesday in January will be collected with the trash the following week.
2021 Leaf Collection Dates:
Please rake your leaves onto the sidewalk or to the edge of the road in front of your property.
Leaves from the rear of your property must be brought to the front of your property.
Leaves must not be bagged as they are directly vacuumed into the landscape contractor’s work truck.
Please do not rake any leaves from your property onto any Cluster areas, into the woods, or onto nearby Reston Association property.
*** If you miss the pickup dates and would like to have your leaves removed, please put them in lawn and refuse bags (click here for an example) and put them out for the usual Wednesday pickup. Branches must be cut to 4ft and bundled. Please do not use plastic bags, as they will not be picked up. ***
Cardinal Landscaping, the Cluster’s Lawn Maintenance contractor, will mow your lawn this season for a fee of $155 per house. If you have not already signed up and want to take advantage of this offer please call Cardinal directly at 703-444-3311.
Do not forget that Republic Services has a yard waste pickup every Wednesday until December. You may put out organic yard waste in brown paper bags. Branches and twigs should have a maximum length of 4ft and be either bundled and tied or placed in a trash bin. Be warned that Republic Services usually pick up very early in the morning.