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City of Wayne to start citywide recycling July 6 as Priority Waste promises route fixes
Summary
City officials and Priority Waste outlined a July 6 start for citywide recycling with an A/B every‑other‑week schedule, delivery of recycling carts the week prior, and route optimization intended to move roughly 500 homes away from overloaded Friday routes. Company and staff acknowledged recent service shortfalls and described equipment, monitoring, and local oversight measures.
The Wayne City Council on June 16 heard a detailed presentation from Priority Waste and city staff about a new citywide recycling program that officials said will start July 6.
City and Priority Waste representatives said recycling carts will be delivered to households the week before the launch and that the program will operate on an “A/B” every‑other‑week schedule. “The cans will start being delivered as of Monday of next week,” Paul Ruthenberg said during the presentation; the first week of collection after delivery will be designated the A week.
Why it matters: Council members and residents raised repeated concerns about recent missed collections. Priority Waste acknowledged service problems and described an equipment‑focused recovery plan, including arrival of new automated side‑loader trucks and a local oversight pilot that places a company liaison in Wayne to monitor crews and address complaints more quickly.
What was presented: Company and staff described two linked changes. First, a new single‑stream recycling cart and public information packet will explain acceptable materials (paper, aluminum, steel, glass, many plastics) and items to avoid (lithium batteries, plastic bags, Styrofoam). Second, route optimization will rebalance loads across the week: presenters said roughly 500 homes will be moved off heavily loaded Friday routes to other weekdays to reduce missed stops and overnight delays.
Officials emphasized safety and operational details: presenters asked residents not to place batteries in recycling carts because lithium cells can cause truck fires and said the city will provide battery drop‑off locations at the DPW and City Hall; staff suggested adding a third drop‑off at the library. Priority Waste said new trucks are in transit and that the company is reintroducing a local field supervisor role so someone in Wayne can ride routes, review camera footage, and follow up on complaints.
Exchange highlights: Council members and residents pressed Priority Waste on the companys ownership and investment, truck arrival timelines, technology for resident notices and complaint tracking, and who will be the on‑the‑ground point of contact. In response, the company said the firms new CEO and ownership have purchased new vehicles and are piloting local oversight and increased truck‑washing and maintenance.
What comes next: Staff and Priority Waste said they will publish maps, delivery and pickup calendars, and handouts to clarify A/B weeks and acceptable materials. Councilmembers asked for continued performance updates and for staff to relay how many missed pickups occur after the first weeks of the new service.
Representative quote: “I am personally sorry for the service that the residents and yourself have had to put up with over the last several weeks,” Paul Ruthenberg said. “There are corrective actions being taken … and I do believe that you will see a much better product coming out very very shortly.”
The council did not take a formal vote on the contract at the June 16 meeting; the presentation was informational and followed by extensive Q&A. The city will monitor early performance and report back to council.
