In response to the often overflowing trash receptacles throughout the downtown core and on other heavily trafficked locations in Haddonfield, the borough is set to receive an upgrade in waste management following the upcoming holiday weekend.
Commissioner for Public Works Frank Troy previewed the upcoming switch during the board of commissioners’ open public session on Aug. 16.
“Probably the biggest thing we have coming up is trash cans,” he explained. “They went out for bid, and the results on that will be 25 BigBelly trash cans.”
To acquire the new receptacles, Troy confirmed on Aug. 25 that the borough used recycling dollars and clean communities’ dollars, with 25 units the maximum number in the budget allotted for that purpose.
“They are solar powered; they hold 10 times as much trash as the cans we now have throughout town,” he stated at the meeting nine days earlier.
According to Troy, a few of these units have already been installed: one in front of Gelato Dolceria, on Kings Highway East near Haddon Avenue, one close to the Haddy statue and one in front of Kings Court.
The Public Works Department, per Troy, is in the final stages of analyzing where best to place the remaining cans, based upon routes that people frequently travel. The commissioner confirmed future placement of approximately 14 to 15 units along the length of KIngs Highway, seven to eight units along Haddon Avenue, and one on Mechanic Street.
Placement of the remainder will be subject to a final discussion between Public Works’ Superintendent Greg Ley and Foreman Bill Ober to determine on which fields a receptacle should be added.
Delivery of the new trash cans is right on schedule. Troy stated on Aug. 16 that they would arrive in Haddonfield no later than Sept. 7, with Public Works’ crews scheduled to install them shortly after that.
He confirmed the above on Aug. 25, saying the department’s intention is to have all units in place by the upcoming holiday, so when people come back to town following their summer getaways, handling trash volume won’t be as much of an issue.
That spells the end of the line for most of the current trash compactors lining the downtown core; during high volume, they can often be seen overflowing, with food containers stacked atop them.
“These (new units) work because the solar power will contract (stuff like pizza boxes),” Troy added. “Some of the existing black metal trash cans will be removed and some will be repurposed. Some, like the one up by Caravelli’s Barber Shop, will remain in place.”
Troy plans to post all updated information on the trash issue through his official Facebook and Instagram accounts, and expects his fellow commissioners to follow suit to get the word out through as many channels as possible.
For more information on the company which created the new trash receptacles, visit: https://bigbelly.com/products/.
