Garbage At Night: COVID Bumps Back Newark's Start Date

NEWARK, NJ — Newark’s plan to start garbage pickups at night will kick off later than previously announced, officials said Monday.

According to Director of Public Works Khalif Thomas, overnight garbage collection was supposed to start in March, but plans were upended by the coronavirus. Now, instead of June 14, the date residents recently received with doorknockers, the collection of garbage at night will begin Aug. 2 for residents who live in Zone A and Nov. 2 for residents who live in Zone B.

“We apologize for any inconvenience,” Thomas said. “We’re trying to reach as many residents as we can to get the word out.”

There’s a simple reason for the change, Thomas said: it’s more efficient.

“Our biggest problem picking up trash during the day is traffic,” he said. “By picking up at night, we don’t have traffic.”

Another benefit of switching to overnight collection is that workers can cut down on the time they spend making runs to the trash incinerator, Thomas said.

Collection for Zone A neighborhoods is Monday and Thursday. Residents should put their trash out the night before between 6 to 10 p.m. Zone A includes the Weequahic and Ironbound sections, North Broadway, Lower Broadway, University Heights, Central Business District, and the Belmont section.

Collection for Zone B neighborhoods will start on Nov. 2. That zone includes neighborhoods around Roseville Avenue, Branch Brook Park, Sussex Avenue, Ivy Hill, Fairmount, Clinton Hill, West Side and Lincoln parks.

Thomas said that if residents in either zone forget to set their trash out the night before, trucks will come through the neighborhoods during the day to pick up the garbage.

The goal, however, is for residents to follow the new garbage collection rules, he said.

“On August 2, we’re putting our foot on the gas with the collection of household trash,” Thomas stated.

For more information about overnight garbage collection, call the Department of Public Works at 973-733-3644.

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