In late October, Bristol Township and Waste Management agreed to a new five-year contract that goes into effect on January 1. In recent days, some terms of the new deal are causing confusion for residents, leading to questions.
In the face of spiking costs throughout the region, the new deal will cost the township approximately $34,582,000.00. Neighboring Bristol Borough re-upped with J.P Mascaro for five years with an 85 percent rate hike.
In 2023, Bristol Township households paid $340 per year for trash removal and will pay the same price in 2024.
Township Manager Randee Elton, before re-signing with Waste Management, said she feared a price spike.
The new deal will keep once-per-week trash and recycling pickups, reduce bulk pickup to once per month, keep yard waste pickup during the same periods, move to having township crews collects the trash from parks, and come in at 40 percent rate in comparison with the last trash collection contract inked five years ago.
Of note, and a burgeoning discussion point among residents in recent days, is the reduction in bulk item pickups to once a month.
“How are they going to keep track?” one resident asked late Thursday night.
In response, a second resident said, bulk trash pickup used to be one a week, now we get one a month.
Bulk pickup, as part of the new deal effective Monday, will have to be called in and scheduled.
Elton said she solicited bids with myriad options to find the best price for residents. Other options offered by the trash hauling providers, she said, were not the most fiscally workable.
“The lowest bid received removed collection at our parks from the hauler, which will now be completed by Public Works and the change to once-a-month bulk collection, with the requirement to call in and schedule your pickup. With the expiring contract, the hauler is running trucks on every street to see if there is bulk to collect. There may have been times only a few bulk items are out per section, but the residents are paying as if every resident is placing bulk out weekly” she said.
“We understand change is frustrating. The bid package presented all the alternatives to find the most economical and responsible cost for collection and disposal,” officials said.
Officials said Friday there will be no refuse or recycling collection on Monday, January 1st. The trash collection for Monday will be collected on Tuesday, January 2nd and each collection day for the week will be delayed by one day.
“This is the first week for some switches in collection days, and the holiday pushes this back one day. Croydon will be picked up on Thursday. Indian Creek, Blueridge, Yellowwood, Goldenridge, Orangewood, Whitewood, Green Lynn, and Violetwood Sections in Levittown will be picked up on Saturday.”