Township Moves to Single-Stream Recycling

Upper Southampton plans to change its recycling program to single-stream April 1.

Supervisor Walter Stevens said single-stream recycling means that items such as glass, plastics, cardboard and paper can be thrown in the same receptacle.

“Everything goes in that can, from soup to nuts,” he said.

“This is a money-making deal,” Stevens added.

The new process of co-mingling recyclables is expected to increase the amount of total recycled items by at least 50 percent and thus save the township on disposal costs, according to Township Manager Joe Golden.

“Every ton of material that is recycled saves the township $66.90 in disposal costs,” Golden explained Wednesday. “In addition, the township will receive revenue for the sale of the recyclable materials.”

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion Tuesday to go along with the single-stream recommendation of the Southwest Bucks Solid Waste Committee (comprised of members from Upper Southampton, Lower Southampton and Northampton).

That plan is to have Waste Management purchase, process and market the co-mingled recyclables. J.P. Mascaro & Sons will continue to be the hauler.

Lower Southampton has approved its deal with Waste Management, and Northampton is expected to do so this week, Golden said at Tuesday's board meeting.

But Township Solicitor Donald Williams said the township had not yet received the formal contract with Waste Management and he successfully urged that that specific board approval be delayed.

“I don't care what the other municipalities did,” said Williams.

Golden explained Wednesday that under the pending deal with Waste Management the township would receive the market value of the sold recyclables minus the firm's processing fee.

According to Golden, the contract with Waste Management would run, at the very least, through the end of 2014.