Palmer Weighs Trash, Recycling Changes

Curbside collection or automated toter collection.

With Palmer Township's waste hauler contract expiring May 31, the Board of Supervisors began weighing the difference between the two at its meeting Tuesday night.

"It's going to come down to dollars and cents," Supervisor Chairman David Colver said. "We'll be bidding during difficult economic times. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

The township is considering how to best manage and reduce waste and how best to position Palmer for more competitive contracts, Township Manager Christopher Christman said.

Plans suggested include unlimited curbside collection; fully automated, two 96-gallon toters, or using one 96-gallon toter.

Christman believes the township should accept bids on all three options and then weigh costs. He said the township should make a decision by April on the best bid.

The plan calls for providing residents free toters, but officials said that there should be a cost to replace the containers.

The existing curbside program has no cost for trash containers and $10 for recycling containers, which have a five-year life expectancy.

A report provided to the supervisors shows that the program causes more litter and messy streets when lids blow off, requires residents to separate recyclable materials such as bottles and newspapers, and that the existing 20-gallon recycling containers aren't large enough.

Meanwhile, automated toter collection allows for less litter because of attached lids, a cleaner curbside look and fewer workers needed. It also sparks residents to recycle more, possibly by 20 percent, and calls for all recyclables to go into one bin.