The Lawrence Township Council awarded a one-year contract to trash hauler Interstate Waste Services for residential garbage and bulk item collection, beginning Dec. 1.
The Township Council awarded the $1.3 million contract to the Ewing Township-based hauler at its Nov. 9 meeting. Interstate Waste Services was the only bidder for the job.
The contract begins Dec. 1 and ends Nov. 30, 2024. There is an option to renew for four additional years, ending Nov. 30, 2028.
Household garbage will continue to be picked up weekly, but bulk waste – which had been collected each week, along with household garbage – will be picked up once per month. There is a limit of three bulk items to be collected monthly.
Bulk waste is anything that does not fit into the Lawrence Township-issued blue containers.
Reducing the number of bulk collections results in a savings of $199,645, Municipal Manager Kevin Nerwinski said. Nevertheless, the new contract represents a 14% increase over the expiring contract.
“There were no bidders for the organic recycling program, so it is being temporarily suspended as of Nov. 30,” Nerwinski said. “There were about 100 households that had participated in the program. They made direct payment to the hauler of $38.50 per month for the service.”
Township officials will look to alternatives to revive the organic recycling program, Nerwinski said.