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Lackawanna to stop curbside grass pickup; city says move will reduce dumping costs by about $50,000 annually
Summary
The Department of Public Works will continue collecting leaves, branches and yard waste but will no longer pick up grass clippings. City officials said the change is intended to reduce landfill dumping costs and manage a sanitation budget strained by rising recycling and disposal fees.
The City of Lackawanna’s Department of Public Works announced at the May 5 council meeting that it will discontinue curbside collection of grass clippings starting immediately, while continuing to collect leaves, branches and other yard waste.
DPW officials said the change responds to higher dumping costs tied to the weight of wet grass. Senior foreman of public works explained the city pays about $65 per ton to dispose of residential garbage; reviewing three years of invoices showed dumping costs rise during spring and summer months when wet grass increases tonnage. Eliminating grass pickup is projected to avoid about $50,000 in annual dumping fees, the foreman said.
The foreman also reported sharp increases in recycling costs: in 2022 the city paid about $15 per ton for recycling (about $1,400 per month); by 2025 that figure had risen to $93.50 per ton, with monthly recycling expenses approaching $4,000. The city said higher disposal and recycling costs, combined with prior reductions in sanitation staff, motivated the change.
Why it matters: The change affects routine residential curbside service and could shift disposal responsibilities to residents. City officials framed the move as a budget-management step to sustain essential sanitation services without raising garbage fees further.
City staff said three sanitation positions were eliminated last year to avoid a garbage-fee increase; those employees were reassigned to DPW street-division openings. The announcement emphasized that the projected $50,000 is not surplus funding but the amount by which the sanitation budget could otherwise be overdrawn without the change.
Next steps: Residents should expect continued collection of branches, leaves and other yard waste but no curbside pick-up of grass clippings; the city encouraged composting and other environmentally responsible disposal practices. DPW asked for patience as staff implements the change and continues to monitor sanitation costs.
