Eddystone to pay $54 a ton to dispose of recyclables

Council took steps at its August meeting to deal with the mounting problem of disposing of recyclables by awarding a contract to J.P. Mascaro & Sons of Audubon to receive the singlestream recycled material at its facility at $54 a ton. When the borough began its voluntary curbside recycling a few years ago it was a revenue-generating program for the community. But now the market for recycled materials has been drying up and trucks delivering the material to collection sites have been turned away.

Borough Manger Tim Possenti said the term of the contract with Mascaro is to be determined and details of a clause in the document that will allow the borough to terminate the contract for any reason are being worked out by Solicitor Sandra Liberatori. The contract will go into effect when these conditions are in effect.

The borough has been able to purchase recycling containers for residents and a special truck for picking up the material through performance grants awarded to the community over the years. Possenti said curbside pick-up will be between two and four times a month when the program resumes. Because the borough population of about 3,000 is under the state-mandated size for mandatory recycling, council Vice President Bill Stewart remarked at last month’s meeting that the voluntary recycling program was started so the community would be “good stewards.”

“China doesn’t want our plastic and India doesn’t want our paper,” Stewart remarked last month.

At the same meeting, Possenti said the borough never did recycling to make money, but to limit the borough’s carbon footprint.

“The borough is committed to continuing recycling,” Possenti said.

Council approved the installation of new street signs at a cost of $900, to be paid for with the borough’s share of liquid fuels tax.

In other matters, council welcomed junior Councilman Robert Wylie to the borough’s official family. He is a senior at Ridley High School and was sworn into office by Mayor Allen Reeves.

Also, council approved the hiring of Shane Laird as a full-time police officer. He took the oath of office from Reeves.