Princeton Signs New Curbside Recycling Service Agreement With Mercer County

PRINCETON, NJ — On Monday, Princeton Council approved a shared service agreement with Mercer County for recyclables collection for a period of five years.

Council approved a resolution authorizing and approving a shared services agreement between the Municipality and the Mercer County Improvement Authority (MCIA) for curbside collection of recyclables. The agreement will last through December 31, 2028.

The current agreement between Princeton and the MCIA supersedes all prior shared services agreements for curbside recycling services, according to the resolution.

Under the agreement, the MCIA will contract with a recycling vendor who will undertake the curbside program in Princeton on behalf, and under the supervision of the MCIA.

However, the new contract comes with a significant cost increase. According to Councilwoman Eve Niedergang, the contract comes with an 82 or 84 percent increase over the last contract.

“This new agreement with Mercer County Improvement comes at a very significant rate increase as we've been experiencing with all aspects of our waste, whether it's garbage, getting rid of leaves and brush or recycling,” Niedergang said.

“That is just to acknowledge that there's no way to throw anything away anymore. The costs for getting rid of things that we don't want has continued to go up. And as a community and as a nation, we have to think of better alternatives.”

Here’s what the annual fee structure looks like for the next five years:

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