Officials to Weigh Recycling and Garbage Collection Options

Springfield's current garbage and recycling contract for professional collections services expires at the end of the year and officials are now considering options for 2013. 

When the government solicited Requests for Proposals for competitive bids for refuse collection services in October, five bids were received on the December 4. 

The bids responses offer several new option to the Township that Springfield administrators tout as cost-saving and environmentally beneficial.  

One option is to change to “single stream” collection of recyclable materials instead of having to individually separate materials by type, paper and glass.  This makes it easy for resident to store and collect materials and also increases the volume of recyclable materials collected. The more materials collected and recycled, the less is put into landfills, reducing tonnage costs.  

In addition, the Township is eligible to receive an increase in recycling grant funding from the County and State. Another recycling option is increasing the collection frequency from every other week to every week collection of recyclable materials further making it easier to collect recyclables.    

There are options for garbage collection as well. Officials say that switching to a once a week garbage collection of garbage, the collection frequency employed by Summit and New Providence, would save the township $100,000 per year. In addition to saving money, officials say the one time per week collection would also reduces truck noise, traffic and pollution. Otherwise, Springfield would remain at its current level of collection frequency, twice per week, maintaining the status quo.    

The new contract for services will start on or about Jan. 1 without a disruption of services.  

The Township Committee will be discussing collection services and award of a contract at their meeting tonight, Tuesday, Dec 18. They are interested in the public's input and ask that inquiries be directed to Township Administrator Anthony Cancro at  anthony.cancro@springfield-nj.us.