LAMBERTVILLE: Trash, recycling effort does better than anticipated

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   LAMBERTVILLE — The trash and recycling program the city put into effect Jan. 1 is exceeding expectations of financial and environmental success, Lambertville David Del Vecchio said Friday.
   ”When we started this program, we estimated we’d save $9,000 this year” on tipping fees, which is what the city pays to leave its garbage at a landfill.
   ”We’ve saved $10,500 already this year on that. On top of that, we earned a couple of thousand dollars more because we’re dropping off more recycling now,” he added.
   The program allows residents to put both trash and commingled recycling curbside on the same day for pickup. In addition to that change, the city started allowing single-stream recycling, which means all recyclables can be put into the same container.
   ”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,” the mayor said..
   ”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,” he said.
   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 has 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.