Middletown Approves Waste Hauling Contract With Once-Per-Week Collection

Middletown Township will transition to once-per-week waste collection starting next year.

The move follows a narrow 3-2 Monday evening vote by the Middletown Township Board of Supervisors. Supervisors Dana Kane and Anna Payne voted against the new contract.

The $28,426,189.44 contract with Waste Management, which submitted the lowest bid among three contenders, will run from 2025 to 2029.

Each household will receive 96-gallon totes for trash and recycling collection on automated trucks. Residents can ask for a smaller can if the 96-gallon tote is too big, and households can also rent a second can for a small fee.

Previously, officials said residents in the neighborhoods of Tareyton, Hollybrooke, and the Villas at Middletown were likely to continue to have manual collection due to logistical challenges.

The change comes as Middletown Township is one of the last townships in the lower end of the county to adopt weekly collection.

Bulk waste disposal will shift to a monthly on-demand service for a single item.

Yard waste collection will remain unchanged.

Under the new contract, residents will be able to download a Waste Management app that will be tailored to their service.

A representative from Waste Management said no jobs will be lost due to the change from manual to automated collection.

The Waste Management official said the company will launch a public information campaign to educate residents about changes to the collection in the new year.

Many residents have spoken at public comment over numerous meetings about keeping twice-per-week trash collection and weekly bulk collection.

Some residents have told the supervisors they worry that a move to once-per-week collection means trash will build up at homes and could attract vermin, while others have asked to stay with the lower-cost option.

In recent months, the township has asked for resident input through social media, their website, and direct mailings.

A survey sent to 12,000 households had 3,400 replies and showed a narrow preference to maintain the current twice-a-week collection, with 48.7 percent in favor. A total of 43.5 percent of respondents wanted once-per-week automated collection.

Supervisors Chairperson Mike Ksiazek said no matter what decision the board made, it would anger half the people. However, he voted to move to once-per-week because it is the least financially impactful.

Ksiazek said he’s heard from people who might not want a large increase in their waste bill.

Supervisor Kane objected because of the decrease in the number of collection days.

Supervisor Dawn Quirple said the decision was hard, but she felt the once-per-week collection was the best and most affordable option.

“This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve made on the Board of Supervisors. I didn’t think it would be on trash,” she said.

Supervisor Bernadette Hannah said she voted for the lower-cost option to help households who might be struggling.

Earlier this year, Middletown Township officials requested bids on several options for waste hauling.

The three bidders included Waste Management, Whitetail Disposal, and J.P. Mascaro and Sons. Waste Management was the lowest option.

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