ST. LANDRY PARISH — EUNICE, La. — St. Landry Parish leaders launched a new monthly dumpster site program Thursday aimed at helping residents dispose of bulky household items while reducing illegal dumping across the parish.
The first site opened along Highway 190 near Eunice, where residents dropped off items ranging from old swimming pools to broken trampoline parts and household debris.
Parish officials said the program is designed to bring disposal services closer to residents who would otherwise have to make the drive to the landfill in Beggs. Only St. Landry Parish residents are allowed to use the site.
“Our goal is to bring the collection closer to home,” St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard said. “Some people are driving close to 50 minutes just to drop items off. This helps save time and makes it easier for residents.”
Under the program, the dumpster site will rotate to a different area of the parish the first Thursday of the month. Officials also said the site will be located in Melville on the second Tuesday of every month.
The site operates from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with parish crews helping residents unload materials. Bellard said the parish has containers, grappler trucks and other equipment available to assist with larger items.
Allowed items include bedding, mattresses and box springs, pipes, rubber hoses, tin, tires, washers, dryers and tree limbs or trunks smaller than six inches in diameter. Some appliances are also accepted.
The site will not accept electronics such as televisions and computers, hazardous materials, propane tanks, paint, chemicals, oil, lead-acid batteries, mercury products, refrigerators or air conditioning units.
Residents looking for the full dumpster site rotation schedule can find updates through St. Landry Parish Government social media pages and official parish announcements. Parish leaders say the schedule will continue rotating through different communities to make the service accessible across the parish.
Jeff Duplechain, who lives in Eunice, said the site is much more convenient than making a longer trip to the landfill.
“Load it up, strap it down, and it’s easy to come right here,” Duplechain said. “Me living just a couple minutes up the road makes it real convenient.”
Bellard said parish leaders hope the program will help clean up roadsides, canals and drainage ditches where illegal dumping has become an issue.
“A lot of the illegal dumping we see is large items people can’t fit in regular trash pickup,” Bellard said. “This gives them a place to bring it instead of dumping it on parish roads or near canals.”
