East Penn Voices Opposition to Upper Nazareth Hauler Switch

Will officials in Upper Nazareth Township make the switch to a single-trash hauler?

The debate will continue during a Recycling Committee meeting tonight, Jan. 28, at 6:30 in the township's municipal building.

Losing the right to choose their own trash hauler has some residents questioning the fairness of the switch.

“I’m giving up my control to you guys, and I don’t want to do it,” said Daniels Road resident Mike Edgar during the Oct. 17 Board of Supervisors meeting. "This is my responsibility, not yours. I don’t want to give it to you."

According to the 2010 census, Upper Nazareth's population grew to 6,231, up from 4,686 in 2000. Because , curbside recycling is now a requirement.

To streamline the operation, about 11 companies currently contracted by individual households in Upper Nazareth will bid on a contract. The company awarded the contract will collect -- for the entire township -- both recycling and trash.

Bethlehem City Council on Dec. 17 voted to kill Mayor John Callahan’s proposal to hire -- by the end of 2013 -- a single hauler to cart away residential garbage, according to a Bethlehem Patch report.

Upper Nazareth Supervisor James Augustine is optimistic about the township's plan.

"This is a sign of the times," he said during the Oct. 17 meeting, adding that switching to one hauler is the most efficient option. "We will be able to control [pick-up] times -- how many, what days, and quality of service. We will have more control with one hauler and residents will probably pay less."

Yvonne Plakotaris, a representative for East Penn Sanitation Inc. in Lower Nazareth Township, thinks Upper Nazareth officials should stay out of the trash collection business.

“What good does a controlled single hauler system do for the citizens?" asked Plakotaris in a press release. "Why do local municipalities think they can do a better job than private enterprise? Cheaper rates, the Council says. I say not. The Council is not fully explaining the expenses of additional staffing, legal fees, etc., that these contracts incur."

Residents can show their support for East Penn Sanitation and their "right to choose" a trash hauler by voting on www.eastpennsanitation.com or visiting the company's Facebook page.