By Joanne Degnan, Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN The Borough Council recently amended its municipal solid waste law to reflect the recent switch to biweekly recycling collections that are expected to save taxpayers at least $20,000 a year.
The ordinance, which was unanimously adopted Sept. 28, also updates existing law to comply with a variety of state Department of Environmental Protection laws and regulations regarding solid waste and recycling that take effect Jan. 1.
Since June, the borough has stopped requiring residents to separate paper from glass and plastic recyclables before pickup, Mayor Stuart Fierstein said. This new single-stream collection system, made possible by a switch to a new contractor, also is following a biweekly, instead of weekly, pickup schedule.
Mayor Fierstein said Monday that borough taxpayers will save $20,000 to $30,000 a year by having recyclables picked up every two weeks.
The change does not affect regular household trash pickups, which will continue to be collected on a weekly basis, he said.
The borough ordinance also complies with the New Jersey Electronic Waste Management Act, which takes effect Jan. 1, prohibiting the curbside disposal of televisions and computer equipment with regular household garbage. Beginning in 2011, these items will have to be recycled at designated electronic waste recycling facilities at no charge to consumers.

