Ocean City Changes Trash Policy To Fight Bedbugs

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) -- Ocean City is changing its policy on picking up discarded furniture after a bedbug scare and will require furniture left on curbsides to be wrapped in plastic before the city will haul it away.

Deputy Public Works Director Dick Malone says he is trying to protect his employees from bedbugs. In October, an exterminator tipped off city officials that a downtown apartment building discarded 21 bedbug-infested mattresses on the curb.

Malone temporarily suspended bulk trash pickups. His workers later used a mechanical claw to move the infested mattresses.

The Ocean City Council agreed during a recent session to require anyone requesting bulk trash pickup to use giant plastic bags to wrap their items. There is no charge for the city to provide the mandatory plastic bags.

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