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Washington Township to require 95-gallon automated carts; residents voice concerns about size and frequency
Summary
Director of Public Works Frank Altamuro told the council the township will switch to three 95-gallon wheeled carts per household (trash, recycling, yard waste) with automated collection starting June 30, 2025; officials cited rising costs and staffing constraints, while residents warned family trash volumes may exceed a single cart.
Washington Township Director of Public Works Frank Altamuro told the council on April 9 that the township will shift to automated curbside collection and deliver three 95‑gallon wheeled carts to every home — a black cart for trash, a blue cart for recycling and a green cart for yard waste — with the new program to begin June 30, 2025.
"These carts will replace your current bins, and will be the only receptacle that can be used once the new collection goes into effect on June 30, 2025," Altamuro said, explaining the change is driven by escalating costs and the shrinking availability of rear‑loading collection crews.
Altamuro and the township finance materials cited monthly costs for collection at about $495,000 and disposal/recycling at about $200,000, saying the township currently spends just under $700,000 a month on these services. The administration said the change was needed to avoid a substantially larger tax increase.
At the meeting resident Cheryl Branco (21 Green Acre Way) said she was disappointed and worried the new carts would not hold enough refuse for a large family. "My trash won't fit in the new cans," Branco said, asking the council to preserve service levels. Director Altamuro responded that rear‑loading service has become prohibitively expensive and that the township limited its contract increase to roughly 34 percent after working with an industry consultant. He said residents may obtain an additional cart for a one‑time, up‑front fee of $100 that covers ten years.
Altamuro also outlined service changes: yard debris pickup will move to once per month, Christmas trees will continue to be collected, and residents who have private lawn services will be able to opt‑out of township yard‑waste pickup online. The administration said the town will provide instructions on the township website and through the Department of Municipal Services.
Council members did not vote on the trash contract at the April 9 meeting; the presentation was informational and was followed by public comment. The township will deliver carts to households without appointments, the administration said, and plans to publish frequently asked questions and opt‑out/ordering instructions on the town website.
