Environmental advisory council backs proposed recycling ordinance; asks for enforcement and education steps

The Lower Saucon Township Environmental Advisory Council reviewed a proposed solid-waste recycling and waste-reduction ordinance and urged council to ensure enforcement and public education accompany any adoption.

Committee member said the ordinance implements existing state requirements: “Act 101 ... requires any municipality over 10,000 individuals provides recycling services at a minimum of once a month,” a point several members cited to explain why the township must move now. Members discussed whether businesses and institutions must separate recyclables and how yard waste and books would be handled under the proposal.

The council discussed enforcement tools in the draft, including a designated recycling coordinator to collect annual reports from private haulers and require receipts documenting delivery to an accepted recycling facility. One member noted that “haulers have to do reporting of how many tons of recycling they take to real recycling facilities and they get a receipt and it’s logged,” and suggested the EAC could review those reports to identify underperformance.

Members pressed for practical outreach: ideas included inserting notices into hauler bills, placing explanatory flyers in municipal billing, posting clear guidance on the township website, adding recycling bins at parks and events, and asking haulers to include an annual notice in customer mailings. A resident commenter suggested using local newspapers and the high school to broaden public awareness.

Council members did not adopt the ordinance at the EAC meeting; the proposal was scheduled for council consideration the next day. The EAC agreed to provide written comments and to take ownership of updating on-line educational materials so residents know what can be recycled and what to do with materials such as styrofoam and books.