Rising costs cause Monroe to suspend bulk Saturday pickups
The township suspended bulk trash pickup on Saturday during weeks with a holiday beginning July 3, the result of continued rising costs and new guidelines for trash disposal, according to Mayor Greg Wolfe.
“The suspension of bulk trash pickup is due to the closure of the transfer facility that was normally open on Saturdays, now leaving us with nowhere to dispose of our trash, once the trucks are full,” Wolfe explained in a letter to residents. “In addition, this suspension will also reduce any overtime associated with paying staff to work the Saturday bulk trash pickups.”
The township will continue to open the public works department from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, so residents can bring their bulk trash and properly dispose of it on their own.
For residents with Monday or Thursday trash collection, bulk pickup is the first and third Friday of each month. For residents with Tuesday or Wednesday trash collection, it is the second and fourth Friday of each month.
The township also requests that residents consider “cut it and leave it” when mowing their lawns, so remaining grass clippings can be recycled to benefit the environment.
“If you have a lawn service, have your landscaper take your grass clippings away for recycling,” Wolfe said. “If you bag grass clippings, we encourage you to place the clippings, unbagged, in a small trash can, and the township will have a special truck pick up those clippings for recycling.
“Eliminating grass from the township solid waste stream will allow the township to significantly lower costs in disposal fees.”
The mayor offered simple guidelines to follow to help improve collection efficiency:
- Trash and recycling automated carts must be placed between the curb and sidewalk or, in the absence of both, as close to the street as possible, so receptacles are readily accessible to collectors.
- Automated carts or other items for disposal should be placed outside in a  designated area after 6 p.m. on the day before collection. After collection, empty containers should be removed from the curbside promptly, but not later than 8 p.m. on collection day.
- The garbage automated cart is for household waste only: anything generated from the kitchen or bathroom. Such waste placed in the garbage container must be bagged. Non-household waste should be placed curbside for bulk pickup.
A complete list of bulk trash pickup days as well as modified schedule is posted on the Monroe website at www.monroetownshipnj.org.
For other information, contact the public works department at (856) 728-9844.
