Plan To Pick Up Vegetative Waste To Be Announced July 21

Mayor Kevin J. Rooney will announce a decision officials will reach regarding picking up vegetative waste at residents’ homes at the next Township Committee meeting July 21.

The issue of picking up leaves, sticks, and other vegetative waste has been a hot-button issue in town.

Until this year, vegetative waste could be co-mingled with garbage, but the transfer station where waste is taken to stopped accepting it. Now, it must be sent separately.

“it is my priority to work with my colleagues to put some type of vegetative waste collection in place,” Rooney said.

Officials found a temporary solution by funding a service to pick up the waste the last two weeks in April, all of May, and the first two weeks in June, but the contract expired. Residents can bring the waste to the town recycling center, along with grass clippings.

“I recognize that some people are senior citizens or don’t have a vehicle large enough to transport the material and I feel that it is our responsibility to help those residents,” Rooney said. “The only way to do that is to put a system in place.”

Officials are trying to come up with a solution to pick up vegetative waste and grass clippings from June 21 until approximately the second week of October. A long-term solution for 2016 is also being deliberated.

Having the town’s Department of Public Works (DPW) personnel is not a viable solution, Rooney said. There are only 14 DPW workers and 90 miles of roads in Wyckoff.

(Photo via Wikimedia Commons)