As winter’s end approaches, I know many of us — myself included — are preparing to do some much-needed spring cleaning. As residents across the Township begin to comb through their old, unused and unwanted belongings, my office and the Department of Public Works often see an uptick in calls regarding the proper disposal of many common household items.
Below are several helpful hints and guidelines for the proper disposal of a variety of items — from everyday household trash, to that old refrigerator you’ve been looking to upgrade. And remember, this is just a snapshot of our full regulations. For complete information, call Public Works directly, or visit the DPW page at www.CherryHill-NJ.com.
General trash information
Trash should be placed in a standard metal or plastic container, and secured from insects and animals. Trash and recycling containers should be placed at the curb between 5 p.m. the night before pick-up and 7 a.m. the morning of your scheduled collection.
- Latex paint is permitted in your regular trash, but should be dried out by mixing with sand or kitty litter.
- Carpet and wood should be cut into four-foot sections, and securely tied into bundles that weigh less than 50 pounds. Nails should be removed or bent, to prevent injury.
- Construction or building materials generated by a private contractor must be removed and disposed of by the contractor. This debris should not be placed at the curb for residential collection.
Recycling and yard waste
All recyclable items, including paper, cardboard, bottles, cans and plastics, can be placed into your blue RecycleBank can. Any items placed outside the cart cannot be collected by the automated truck.
Acceptable materials include glass jars and bottles, aluminum cans, tin cans, plastics #1, #2, #4, #5 and #7, newspaper, white paper, magazines, paperback books, cardboard. Unacceptable materials include: coat hangers, pots, pans, plastics #3 and #6, ceramics, light bulbs, dishes, mirrors, drinking glasses, antifreeze containers, used oil containers, and syringes.
Remember: Plastic bags should not be thrown out, or mixed with recyclable products. They can be returned to Public Works, Town Hall, or the Cherry Hill Public Library, or deposited at many local supermarkets and convenience stores.
Electronics
Under state law, electronic waste cannot be collected as part of your weekly curbside collection. Instead, those items must be dropped off to the Cherry Hill Township Recycling Center, at the DPW complex on Perina Boulevard. DPW accepts all kinds of e-waste, including computers, computer monitors, televisions, stereos, DVD players, VCRs, fax machines, typewriters, desktop copiers and printers, and scanners. The Recycling Center is open for residential drop-offs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Businesses are not permitted to drop off at this location. For more information, please call Public Works at (856) 424–4422.
Appliances
Refrigerators, freezers, grills, stoves, washers, dryers, and other metal items are collected by appointment only, every Wednesday. Please call the Department of Public Works at (856) 424–4422 to schedule a pickup. Doors should be removed from refrigerators, freezers, stoves, and dishwashers.
Medication
Unused, unwanted or expired household medications should never be thrown away or flushed down the toilet. To help residents safely and properly dispose of these items, the Cherry Hill Police Department offers Project Medicine Drop, a partnership with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office. Residents can bring their unwanted or expired household medications to the Cherry Hill Police Department at 820 Mercer St., and deposit them in a secure drop-box outside the police window, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anonymously and free of charge. The medication will then be safely and properly destroyed.
Please be sure to remove the medication from its original packaging and place in a Ziplock or similar plastic bag. Project Medicine Drop does not accept liquid mediations or syringes. For more information, contact Cherry Hill Police at (856) 488–7828.
Hazardous waste
This year, Cherry Hill will once again partner with Camden County to offer free hazardous waste disposal. From 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, residents may bring automotive fluids, household cleaners, pesticides, and other items that are prohibited from weekly trash disposal to the Public Works complex at 1 Perina Blvd. A list of permitted items can be found on the Township website, www.CherryHill-NJ.com. Please do not bring motor oil, tires, appliances, space heaters, scrap metal or medication. For more information about which items are permitted and not permitted, please call (856) 858–5241.
Spring is the perfect time to clear out our old clutter and start fresh. Please use the above guidelines and tips as you make your way through your own home, shed, or garage. By working together, we can help keep Cherry Hill, our homes, and our neighborhoods, in beautiful condition.
If you have any questions regarding our trash and recycling programs, please call the Department of Public Works from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, at (856) 424–4422. And as always, you can reach me directly by calling (856) 488–7878, or e-mailing [email protected].
Mayor Chuck Cahn
