Hardyston enters recycling business

HARDYSTON-Beginning Tuesday, June 7, Hardyston will be in the recycling business. A used garbage truck the township acquired for $25,000 will be the mover and shaker of this new venture. As part of the change to township operation of the program, recycling will follow a new schedule. Stockholm area residents (Laceytown Road and areas south along Route 23) should set out their glass, aluminum and plastic (co-mingled) recycling on the first Tuesday of the month and their mixed paper on the first Wednesday of the month. Recycling from all other areas will be collected on the third Tuesday of the month (co-mingled) and third Wednesday (mixed paper). Disappointed when Waste Management was unable to give the township a good price for recycling, Public Works Director Bob Schultz began exploring alternatives. "When we found the 31-yarder, we decided to go for it," said Schultz, referring to capacity of the newly acquired truck. With the council's endorsement, Schultz took the truck for a technical assessment. The news was good. The truck needed nothing more than a tune-up and some new hoses, and the repairs are unlikely to cost more than $1,000, give or take a few dollars. What's more, the truck will cost the township only $1,000 more in insurance. With the unanimous backing of the council and Township Manager Marianne Smith, Schultz acquired the truck. "I think we can do an excellent job. This way of doing things will be good for our residents," Schultz remarked. "We'll be sorting bulky waste, and twice a year we'll be doing a leaf pick-up. With the price of steel sky-high, we might be able to sell the scrap metal we pick up and maybe even make a buck. We believe we can do a better job for a lower cost, and get fewer complaints from residents."