Palmer Township faces an expiring garbage contract and rising fees. So it collected data from 15 neighboring communities to guide its path forward.
The township learned its residents pay the least for garbage and recycling collection among the surveyed communities; the older the contract, the lower the rate, according to Palmer’s study.
That may change, as tipping and hauling fees are expected to drastically increase in the region.
The study found that while Palmer residents pay $320 a year for trash and recycling service, South Whitehall Township residents pay $660 for those services. That’s the most of any community in the survey.
READ MORE: Big increase in Palmer Township garbage bills is predicted for next year
The $615-a-year rate in Whitehall Township, while above average, remains proportionate to its scope and reflects market-wide pressures on disposal and recycling, according to the Palmer Township study.
The study shows that residents tend to pay less for garbage pickup in communities where they are allowed to choose their own hauler.
But the study says those residents receive fewer services and are subject to greater price fluctuations than those who live in single-hauler communities.
Lehighvalleylive.com compiled a chart using Palmer Township’s data. It’s posted online.
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