Maplewood Residents to Get New Trash Hauling Options

Maplewood residents will soon have more options for trash hauling, according to Mayor Vic DeLuca — as well as two more recycling pickups per year.

At the Feb. 7 Township Committee meeting, DeLuca noted that in the wake of the town's decision to , residents would soon be receiving a menu of trash hauling options from their existing vendors. Both Waste Industries and Waste Management will be offering:

• 2 can pickup (at 32 gallons/can), 2 times per week
• 2 can pickup, 1 time per week
• 1 can pickup, 2 times per week
• 1 can pickup, 1 time per week
• A pay-as-you-throw program once or twice a week (customers would need to purchase either special stickers and/or bag ties).

DeLuca said that Waste Industries would be sending postcards with the menu to its customers while Waste Management will be using postcards and electronic media. DeLuca said there would be no change in bulk or yard waste programs from either hauler. The mayor said that both haulers had agreed to provide baseline data six months and one year into the programs.

Deputy Mayor Kathy Leventhal pointed out that the town did not yet know the pricing for the various services. "It's between them and you the resident," said DeLuca.

In related news, DeLuca also noted that the town was looking to hire a part-time recycling coordinator who would inspect and monitor whether or not trash haulers were disposing of recycling. He said that the coordinator would be evaluating garbage and looking for recycling. He said the town would issue "Maplewood recycles" stickers for haulers to use when they found bags of recycling in the trash. "They slap it on a bag in the trash where they detect recyclables," said DeLuca.

On Tuesday night, the Township Committee also approved a new recycling plan that would change recycling from twice a month to every other week — increasing recycling days in town from 24 to 26 a year.

The town would also be moving all residents to the same day of recycling (with the day yet to be determined). "People would know throughout all of Maplewood to put [recycling] out on the same day," said DeLuca.

DeLuca said that the cost to the town for the two exta pickups would be $15,000 a year. The plan will be implemented starting May 7.