By John Tredrea, Special Writer
LAMBERTVILLE — Through its first six months, the city’s same-day trash and recycling program is proving to be a success.
The program reduces the amount of trash being sent to landfills, increases recycling and saves taxpayer money, Mayor David M. Del Vecchio said last week.
The program, which began on Jan. 1, allows residents to put both trash and commingled recycling curbside on the same day for pickup.
Previously, trash and recycling were picked up on separate days.
A report submitted by Acting Public Works Director Lester Myers says there has been a 96-ton reduction in the amount of trash being hauled to landfills since the program’s inception.
Meanwhile, recycling has increased by 79.97 tons, which equates to a savings to the city of approximately $1,600.
”The goal has always been to reduce the amount of garbage going to a landfill and increase our recycling collection — a combination we knew would not only be good environmentally but also fiscally,” said Mayor Del Vecchio.
”The proof is in the numbers. I applaud residents for taking this program to heart and working with us to make it the success it’s been so far,” the mayor added.
In addition to the residential curbside program, the city also placed several new garbage receptacles and recycling bins in the Central Business District and at parks and playgrounds.
Lambertville is one of the few municipalities in the area providing municipal collection of garbage and recycling. Since education is a major component of the program, the city mailed out a list of items that can be recycled to residents and businesses. That schedule can be found on the city’s website (www.lambertvillenj.org) under the department tab for Public Works.
Mayor Del Vecchio noted that even with the program’s success, there are still items that under state law cannot be disposed of through the regular program, such as televisions and other electronics.
Those items can be recycled by taking them to the Public Works Department on Quarry Street, or by purchasing a ticket at City Hall for curbside pickup.
The city has partnered with Goodwill Industries for pickup of electronics on a regular basis; Goodwill Industries uses the electronics for spare parts and sells refurbished items at their sites throughout the nation.

