Beginning Jan. 6, there will be no more outside contractors picking up trash in the borough.
For the first time in many years, Palmyra will not pay outside contractors to collect trash and recycling, taking back control of the entire operation.
Beginning on Monday, Jan. 6, the new Palmyra sanitation department will be in charge of picking up trash once a week, recycling every other Wednesday and picking up bulk trash once a month.
“The borough will begin collecting trash across our entire community,” administrator John Gural Jr. said. “We’ve successfully negotiated early termination of Republic’s contract, and the borough is now prepared to collect all of our trash, including weekly curbside collections and bulk on a monthly basis.”
Council has appointed Palmyra residents Shawn Gerbe and Jon Petitte to lead the sanitation department, which will have “new high-tech and super-sharp trucks on your street,” noted Gural, adding that the move to take back waste collection from an outside company will save the town a lot of money.
“For the past year, we’ve successfully collected trash in the riverfront, and then Zone 1, improving service for those residents,” Gural explained. “Beginning with the new year, we will bring substantially better service to all the neighborhoods while saving our taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
There will be changes in the weekly pickup days for curbside trash put in green carts. The riverfront and Zone 1, south and east of the railroad tracks, from Lincoln Avenue to Cinnaminson Avenue, will still be on Tuesday. For Zone 2, south and east of the railroad tracks from Cinnaminson Avenue to Public Road, trash pickup will remain on Monday, and pickup will be on Wednesday for Zone 3, north and west of the railroad tracks, from Elm Street to Delaware Avenue.
Thursday will be pickup for Zone 4, north and west of the railroad tracks, from Delaware Avenue to Route 73). Bulk trash limited to two items will be monthly according to the zones assigned to residents. Recycling for the town will be picked up every other Wednesday; anyone who forgets can call (609) 267-6889.
As for other items, leaves, brush and limbs – as well as Christmas and holiday trees – will be picked up the second Monday of the month from January through October. Leaves will be collected in the months of April, November and December.
“This is great news for the town,” noted Gural, who has been the borough administrator since 2011. “We are always looking for ways to save money. We now have a bigger surplus, over $5.8 million.”
He credited CFO Donna Condo, tax collector Tanyika Jones, clerk Rita Jackson and Mayor Gina Ragomo Tait, as well as council, for aiding in the improvement of the borough’s economic situation.
Updated information on the new collection schedule is available at www.boroughofpalmyra.com, on the PalmyraNJ app or by calling (856) 829-6100.
