$200K Recycling Grant Awarded to Upper Nazareth

Upper Nazareth Township is among 131 municipalities in the state to share $17.8 million in recycling grants, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. 

The township is slated to receive $237,292, money that will help jump-start the township’s recycling program.

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 under the Pennsylvania Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, also known as Act 101.

Supervisor James Augustine, who also is a member of the township’s Recycling Committee, said the township will use the bulk of the money for: 

• Recycling containers for residents.
• Educational materials -- fliers, newsletters, etc. -- about recycling.
• Modifications to the yard waste facility on Friedenstahl Avenue.
• Truck for the Public Works department to help facilitate scrap metal pickup.
• Wood chipper.

Augustine said the township wants to reconfigure the layout of the yard waste facility, which is across the street from Nazareth Area Middle School. The reconfiguration should allow the facility to hold a larger volume of yard waste. 

The proposed plan is to also lay down more blacktop near the facility, add dry storage, and increase the number of bins and dividers, which will allow the township to accept a larger variety of waste.

One citizen attended Monday night’s Recycling Committee meeting, according to Augustine. This was a stark contrast to the Jan. 28 meeting, which brought out a standing-room-only crowd, most of whom voiced opposition to the township’s single-trash hauler plan.

To streamline recycling and trash pickup, 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.

The committee, Augustine added, made revisions to the township’s draft for bid specifications. 

“We went over the minutiae of the wording, like the definition for bulk items, things like that,” Augustine said. “We’re finalizing the bid specification packet that will be distributed to anyone who wants to place a bid.” 

When the final draft is ready, it will be presented to the Board of Supervisors.

A timeline, however, remains fluid.

Augustine said the Recycling Committee has not scheduled a follow-up meeting and did not discuss a time frame for presenting the bid specification packet to the supervisors.

“In my opinion, and I don’t control what goes on the agenda, it’s already mid-February,” he said. “I don’t know if this will be a March action item, quite frankly. This is not something we’ll try to ram in for March.”

Also noteworthy: Bushkill Township and First Regional Compost Authority will also receive help with developing and implementing recycling programs. The DEP awarded $189,000 to Bushkill and $250,000 to First Regional Compost Authority.