Recycling Works

Message from Recycling Coordinator: We no longer have containers available for recycling. The Borough is looking into purchasing more in the future but this will be some time from now. Recycling Information: Last year in 2009 the Borough of Berwick set a new record for residential recycling. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Lets keep working for a better tomorrow and set another record this year! The 1st Ward will be picked up the first Monday of every month. The 2nd Ward will be picked up the 2nd Monday of every month. The 3rd  Ward will be picked up on the 3rd Monday of every month. The 4th Ward will be picked up the 4th Monday of every month. Recycling drop off has opened at the compost site located in Test Track Park. The site is open 1p.m. to 7p.m. every Tuesday. The site will take all curbside items and also corrugated paper or cardboard.  The site is now open to all Briar Creek Borough Residents as well. Feel free to use this drop off to get rid of excess items you have prior to your monthly curbside pick up. If you have any questions contact me at the number or email address below. Andrew Holter, andrew@berwick-pa.com 570-752-2723 ext. 16   Frequently Asked Questions   Q- My recycling was set out on the scheduled day and JAWS  has not picked it up? A– First, check your recycling, there may be a rejection sticker on the bucket. Please note JAWS will not accept cardboard or mixed recycling at the curb. If this is the case you may take the excess recycling to the drop off on Tuesdays. They may have just missed your recycling if it was behind a car parked at the curb. If your recycling was just missed please contact the Berwick Recycling Coordinator and we will have JAWS go and pick it up if possible. Q– I have recycling buckets but they are always full before recycling is picked up. What should I do? A– You are able to take extra recycling to the drop off located in Test Track Park. Also, recycling does not have to be in the blue bins, as long as it is separated and placed out on recycling day it will be removed. We no longer have extra recycling containers. Q– What kind of plastics can go in the recycling bin? A– The only types of plastics taken at the curb are types 1 and 2 plastic bottles. This includes soda bottles, milk jugs, and detergent bottles, however it does not include plastic bags, Styrofoam, television dinner trays, oil containers and items such as cool whip tubs. Always make sure to rinse the bottle and remove the lid. The two plastic groups must be kept separate from each other. Q– Can I mix my recycling in the bins? A– The items you choose to recycle must be separated. If you are limited on space the best way to do this is to pick the items that you use most, for example, type 1 plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and newspaper. You should try to recycle as much as possible and as many items as possible. Why Recycle? Recycling recovers valuable resources, lessens greenhouse gas emissions, and reduces our reliance on landfills and resource recovery plants. Landfills are a major concern to us here in Pennsylvania as we are one of the largest importers of trash in the United States. Recycling also conserves energy and our natural resources because it reduces the need for raw materials. As recycling grows we are finding new ways to use the recycled materials and recycle new items that we could not before. Recycling means reusing items we might normally put in the trash—things like aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass jars and paper.  By recycling these materials, you are helping to remove them from the “waste stream” and converting them into new, reusable products. Recycling in the Borough of Berwick is the law and like other laws carries penalties when violated.  We are mandated to recycle through PA Act 101 of 1988. In the Borough of Berwick, it is required that residents recycle at least three:  at the very least, newspapers, bi-metal and aluminum cans, and plastics.  Others are greatly encouraged.  What you use the most is what you should recycle. Businesses in the Borough of Berwick are required to recycle at least three as well: at the very least, cardboard, office paper, aluminum cans, and leaf waste.  Again, we greatly encourage you to recycle everything you can. More Recycling Information can be found at Berwick Borough City Hall!    Brush, Grass, tree Branches, and Hedge Clippings:  THE DROP OFF SITE HAS CHANGED!   Berwick Borough Residents “ONLY” will be permitted to dispose of grass, leaves and hedge cuttings at the new Test Track Compost Site located inside Test Track Park beside the Sewer Plant.  Drop off will be each Tuesday from 3:00pm to 7:00pm beginning April 7, 2009 and the first Saturday of May, June, September, and October from 8:00am to 12:00pm beginning May 2, 2009.  In the Winter the hours change to 1:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. NO OTHER ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR DISPOSAL.  I.D. REQUIRED.      The days that garbage is picked up by certain haulers Knorr Hauling Monday - Wednesday D & N Disposal Service LLC Tuesdays -Fridays Evans Disposal Thursdays Dave Evans & Sons Disposal Service Thursday Nights/Friday Mornings Hughes Disposal Thursdays J.P. Mascaro & Sons Wednesdays Swisher’s Disposal Tuesdays Waste Management Wednesdays Link to Bloomsburg’s Recycling Center Page. http://www.bloomsburgpa.org/recycle.htm Yearly Comparison of Performance Grant Reporting YEAR RESIDENTIAL COMMRCIAL 2000 116.5 261.6 2001 208.5 2074.8 2002 179.8 2090.4 2003 167.4 2062.2 2004 199.1 1722.5 2005 90.88 1652.18 2006 245.66 1808.94 2007 212.19 2309.64 2008 192.71 2082.97 2009 246  1948.8 *Weights Reported in Tons* top of page

New Recycling Program

As of January 1, 2009, the Borough of Berwick changed its Recycling procedures for all residents living in the Borough.  All residents have received a newsletter detailing many of the changes that are taking effect.  You can view the newsletter in the Announcements Section of our website.  Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection mandated the Borough of Berwick to contract a single recycling hauler in accordance with Pennsylvania Act 101.  Recycling will be picked up by JAWS Recycling.  JAWS has a business that is exclusive to recycling.  The owner of JAWS is Wes Wertman, the Montour County Recycling Coordinator.  JAWS is based out of Danville, PA and provides recycling services for communities such as Danville, Selinsgrove, and Mahoning Township.  JAWS was the lowest bidder for Berwick's recycling collection by more than $100,000, saving approximately $75 per household.  For 2009, the fee has been waived, as the Borough saved more than $150,000 thanks to employees negotiating a new health care plan.  This has allowed the Borough to pass off the savings directly to our citizens. Recycling is becoming more and more crucial to the preservation of our environment.  Recycling is the law in municipalities larger than 5,000 people per square mile or more than 10,000 in total.  Recycling is mandatory for all Borough residents and businesses and will be enforced according to Pennsylvania law. JAWS will be providing two types of recycling services.  On the 1st Monday of the month, JAWS will pick up recycling in the 1st  Wards.  On the 2nd Monday of the month, JAWS will pick up recycling in the 2nd Ward.  On the 3rd Monday of the month, JAWS will pick up recycling in the 3rd Ward and so on. Remember, if you live on the Salem Township side of Market Street, you are in either the 1st Ward. The 2nd Ward goes from the odd side of Market Street to Oak Street. It also includes the area between Lasalle and Oak. The 3rd Ward extends from Lasalle Street to Warren Street and includes both sides of Warren Street. The 4th Ward extends from the start of Warren to the Briar Creek line. JAWS will be providing a drop-off location for residents to drop off recycling materials as well.  The location will be at the Borough's compost site at Test Track Park, next to the Berwick Area Joint Sewer Authority.  Citizens can also drop off brush during those hours.  Please see the newsletter in the Announcements section of our website for further details.  If you have any questions regarding the Borough's recycling program, please feel free to contact Andrew Holter at City Hall, telephone number 752-2723, extension 16.  Recycling Information Update Please click on the link below to view our recent newsletter that was delivered to each resident's home during the week of February 16, 2009.  This newsletter updates the materials that are accepted at curbside, the Recycling Schdule, and other answers to some of the questions residents have been asking regarding the program. Click Here for the Recycling Newsletter

2010 Recycling Schedule

The 2010 Recycling Schedule is as follows: 1st Ward Recycling for 2010 January 4 February 1 March 1 April 5 May 3 June 7 July 5 August 2 August 30 (CHANGE FROM LABOR DAY) October 4 November 1 December 6   2nd Ward Recycling for 2010   January 11 February 8 March 8 April 12 May 10 June 14 July 12 August 9 September 13 October 11 November 8 December 13   3rd Ward Recycling for 2010   January 18 February 15 March 15 April 19 May 17 June 21 July 19 August 16 September 20 October 18 November 15 December 20   4th Ward Recycling for 2010   January 25 February 22 March 22 April 26 May 24 June 28 July 26 August 23 September 27 October 25 November 22 December 27

Free Mulch Available at Compost Site

The Borough received a large DEP Recycling grant in 2008 for Recycling.  This grant was designed to enhance the Borough's brush collection and processing program.  The Borough purchased a wood chipper to enable the Public Works Department to go curbside to collect brush.  The Borough also purchased a dump truck for collection purposes as well as a brush hog, which is featured in the photos below.  The brush hog grinds brush into mulch.  In addition to the brush mulch, the Borough collects leaves in the Fall.  The Public Works Department processes, rotates, and flips the leaf piles throughout the year, breaking them down into a usable mulch for residents. There are certain amounts of mulch at the compost site at Test Track Park that are free for residents to take.  Residents can pick up mulch, as well as drop off recycling, brush, and leaves every Tuesday from 1pm until 7pm.  Check out the photos below to see how the brush is processed and transformed into usable mulch and wood chips.

Recycling Contract with J.A.W.S.

We have attached the Curbside and Drop-off Recycling Contract with J.A.W.S. Recycling.  J.A.W.S. is operated by Wes Wertman, the Montour County Recycling Coordinator.  J.A.W.S. has been in business for approximately 20 year.  This is Berwick's 1st attempt at a single curbside recycling hauler.  The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection met with the Borough Council and informed them that they must use a single hauler to fully comply with PA Act 101.  Otherwise, funding would be cut and fines would be distributed if we fail to meet those standards.  Of course, the Borough's hand was forced to do this.  The result is a cost of about  $10  for all residential properties in the Borough.  This is considerably inexpensive, as many towns and boroughs charge residents more than $40 per year for Recycling collection.  J.A.W.S. bid came in at about $40,000 per year.  The next closest bid was over $100,000 more than J.A.W.S. The reason for this is because J.A.W.S Recycling processes and sells their own materials where as the other haulers would have taken the recycling to a center similar to J.A.W.S. Recycling which is operated out of Danville. The first year of the new program will be a probationary trial period.  The two entities will decide after one year as to whether or not the service shall remain. The other alternative is to have a collection done by Borough employees and equipment which would be very costly. Feel free to check out the agreement by clicking here.