Follow this nifty guide to find community cleanup areas in your neighborhood, which would not be possible without the City of Omaha. Some items are acceptable while others are not, and you are required to transport and unload your hauls.
May’s remaining cleanup schedule for official Omaha Spring Cleanup locations includes the Central and Southeast neighborhoods, all occurring on Saturdays. Keep in mind Little Bohemia and Elmwood Park organize their separate monthly cleanups.
If you have bulky or potentially toxic items you need to dispose of, skip to the end of the guide for “More Resources,” specific locations to drop off seasonal yard waste, glass, household chemicals such as old paint cans or cleaning products.
To keep your city cleaner and healthier all year round, go to Keep Omaha Beautiful to find great programs, events, education and volunteering opportunities. Every little bit helps!
Neighborhood Cleanups
Country Club Neighborhood Cleanup
- May 14 | 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | “The Triangle”: Country Club Ave and 53rd St
If you know this area (not far from Reader’s Choice recipient The Beard and Mane) from experience or merely look at a Google map rendition, you will see The Triangle. It’s a quaint spot quietly tucked between houses, but this weekend, it’s also the location of the vibrant Country Club Neighborhood Cleanup.
Sarah Knoepfler Csanadi-Schwartz, an active member of the Country Club Neighborhood Association, is helping to coordinate this event, which is open to anyone regardless if they live in the neighborhood or not.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their bulky disposables or recyclbles – not including commercial waste (think any trash mass-produced by a company). Bring your mattresses and other old furniture, for example. And while the City of Omaha does not require volunteers to assist in unloading the vehicles, Country Club has stated they will help regardless.
Little Bohemia Monthly Cleanup
- May 15 |9 and 10 a.m. meet-ups | Dusk Goods & Gifts: 1234 S 13th St Suite 202
With the new Bohemian Gardens, Little Bohemia has proven its dedication to the natural landscapes. And thanks to the Little Bohemia Monthly Cleanup – organized by Little Bohemia Collective and Dusk Goods & Gifts – you can find a helpful cleanup location at this reliable spot each month.
There will be two separate time slots for visitors to make. Showing up on time at either 9 or 10 a.m. will guarantee your help from neighborly friends, provided you bring the proper materials to trash or recycle.
And if you didn’t get everything disposed of this month or anticipate another month of cleanup, take spring cleaning into the months ahead with no worries: there will be other cleanups with this exact structure unless otherwise stated. Check in on the event pages if you are interested.
Dundee Neighborhood Association Cleanup
- May 21 | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School (parking lot): 400 Happy Hollow Blvd
Dundee is known for many attractions, including the delicious Dundee Dell. If Dundee is a convenient meetup point for you, head to Brownell Talbot – the Dundee Neighborhood Association will host their cleanup for you and your excess stuff.
But only if your waste or recyclable materials meet the city’s guidelines. It’s worth repeating that the on-site volunteers will accept none of the prohibited items specified by Wasteline Omaha, including earthy materials like concrete and dirt or related to wildlife, like dead animals (R.I.P.) or manure. So, do yourself and others a favor by checking the official list online.
Additionally, volunteers will collect cash donations for the neighborhood Tree Planting initiative. If you want to donate to the cause, please do – it helps distribute the greenery around Omaha!
Hanscom Park Neighborhood Association Cleanup
- May 21 |9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Adalbert’s Church: 2617 S 31st St
The Hanscom Park Neighborhood Association helps coordinate with volunteers to clean up the frequented Hanscom Park, including its area for dogs, which is always a hit during the spring. That also includes the annual spring cleanup.
The Hanscom cleanup location is at the neat and renowned 105-year-old St. Adalbert’s Church, which neighbors the 172-year-old park. Adalbert’s is active on its terms, too – with plenty of on-site functions for the public.
Bring all your unneeded swingsets, drywall, televisions, and microwaves if you’ve got them, but leave your yard waste. Afterward, you may decide that all that hard work calls for a trip to the park with your dog to see what’s new on the Bark Park bulletin board.
Mandan Park Neighborhood Cleanup
- May 21 | 3 p.m. | R M Marrs Magnet Middle School: 5619 S 19th St
Mandan Park is notable for its attachment to several local factoids – like, it is the home of the historic Bryant-Fisher Family Reunion. Get ready to add another: the Mandan Park Neighborhood Association will host its first neighborhood cleanup as part of the City of Omaha’s greater mission of community cleanliness.
The Mandan Park meetup spot is on the northwest parking lot at Marrs. But if you want to stick around, there are plenty of chances for fishing, picnics, frisbee, baseball, tennis, or simply observing wildlife nearby at the beautiful scenic park.
If you’ve never been to Mandan, open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and are interested in checking out the grounds, the cleanup is a great opportunity. Not only do you get familiar with the facilities but with the people, too.
Deer Park Neighborhood Cleanup
- May 21 | 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Bancroft Elementary School (main cleanup site): 2724 Riverview Blvd
- Take tires to Lynch Park: South 21st and Martha St
- Take appliances to Jefferson Elementary: 4065 Vinton St
If you are closer to South Omaha, this cleanup site is perfect. The primary location for the Deer Park Neighborhood Cleanup will be at Bancroft Elementary.
To volunteer, contact the Deer Park Neighborhood Association on Facebook – it’s easy, and you can help make this cleanup a success! And in the case that they have enough people on-site for this weekend, they will send you out to clean the nearby parks and business districts.
If you have spare tires to get rid of, the nearby Lynch Park is your go-to spot. It may not be as sprawling as Memorial Park, but it’s a chill little park! Likewise, take your appliances to Jefferson Elementary school.
Elmwood Park Litter Cleanup
- May 28 | 10 a.m. to noon | Elmwood Park: 802 S 60th St
If you are looking for additional ways to aid the season cleanup, there is an organized event you should check out – the Elmwood Park Litter Cleanup. The meetup will happen at this specific point in the park, which you can see in the ariel view – it’s where the two primary Elmwood Park roads intersect.
The event is a coordinated effort between Conservation Nebraska, Keep Omaha Beautiful (providing equipment), and Well Connected Communities. It’s the perfect opportunity to give back to your community by setting an example and cleaning up unwanted seas of litter at the beloved Elmwood Park and Creek.
Become more familiar with this 132-year-old park, which recently hosted its 33rd annual Earth Day, a little better while maintaining it as a sanctuary for the public. Help stop litter!
More Resources
Recycle yard waste and chemicals
- Take yard waste to Oma-Gro Composting: 15705 Harlan Lewis Road, Bellevue
- Take chemicals to Under the Sink: 4001 S 120th St
Unfortunately, you must make separate stops if you wish to dispose of yard waste or harmful chemicals this spring. They are not associated with the Omaha Spring Cleanup but are independent locations that can help you regardless.
Oma-Gro Composting is open from Monday through Friday. The location makes it convenient for you to recycle your yard waste throughout the week before, during, and after spring. Confirm that your materials are eligible beforehand and check with the front office before unloading.
Household hazardous waste and chemicals are trickier to recycle due to their dangerous pollutant qualities. You cannot take them to regular cleanup sites, but Under the Sink – your best bet – is only open Wednesday through Friday and requires an appointment ahead of time, so plan accordingly.
Locations for recycling glass in Omaha
The two designated glass-only locations are for recycling glass items like jars and bottles, which you cannot recycle through normal means. Well, unless you are a glass artist.
- Glass-only | Westwood Plaza (Near Taco Bell): 12075 West Center Road
- Glass-only | Hy-Vee: 1000 South 178th Street
However, please remember to separate these glass items (they go in the purple bin) from the rest if you bring the more commonly accepted recyclables (they go in the green bin) to a location that isn’t glass-only.
- West full-service | 20801 Elkhorn Drive (parking lot)
- Central full-service | West Lanes Bowling: 151 North 72nd Street (parking lot)
- Northwest full-service | South of Mulhall’s: 3615 North 120th Street (parking lot)
- Southeast full-service | River City Recycling: 6404 South 60th Street
- Northeast full-service | Burt St & N 17th St (southwest corner of the intersection)
- Southwest full-service | Firstar Fiber Corporation: 10330 I St (East driveway)
Find more ways to Keep Omaha Beautiful
If you want to find more ways to become a steward of nature, Keep Omaha Beautiful offers date-specific and everyday volunteer opportunities at beloved and undiscovered gem locations alike. Complete a form to volunteer online for Litter Cleanup, Adopt-a-Spot, Only Rain Down the Storm Drain, Community Litter Cleanup Events, and Trees for Omaha.
- Litter Cleanups: KOB provides equipment and usually organizes small to midsize cleanup events.
- Adopt-a-Spot if you want to commit to taking care of a specific outdoor location for one year, one monthly cleanup at a time.
- Only Rain Down the Storm Drain: help educate the public about proper storm drain etiquette.
- Community Litter Cleanup Events: look online for specific events, like Love Your Block Litter Walk (which ends May 22).
- Trees for Omaha: donate or volunteer in this initiative to make the city a greener, shadier place.
Become familiar with the volunteer safety protocol first, though.