'Whatever you're looking to put at the curb could be reused by other residents of Halifax rather than having to go to a landfill,' said Matt Keliher

The yearly mass student exodus has begun in Halifax, leaving overflowing garbage dumpsters in its wake.

And as abandoned rain-soaked pieces of furniture line several streets in the south end, the municipality's solid waste manager said there are rules when it comes to garbage collection in HRM.

Matt Keliher said crews will only take one bulky item per household on collection day, including washers, dryers, couches and beds.

He added landlords will be held responsible for getting rid of any items that are not taken away by crews.

"We will send out bylaw officers to write citations and warnings to the owners of the homes to have the material brought ... back into the residence rather than having them be left at the curb."

However, a better option might be to look up the phone number of a charity, like the Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank, Diabetes Canada or the Salvation Army.

"See if they'd be willing to come by and pick up the material," recommended Keliher.

"Maybe your old couch, your bed, desk or whatever you're looking to put at the curb could be reused by other residents of Halifax rather than having to go to a landfill."