{"id":307564,"date":"2026-10-16T00:06:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T00:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/307564\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T00:06:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T00:06:08","slug":"bethlehems-landfill-is-set-to-close-what-happens-next-for-residents-is-murky-local-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/307564\/","title":{"rendered":"Bethlehem\u2019s landfill is set to close. What happens next for residents is murky. | Local News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With Casella Waste Services\u2019 landfill in Bethlehem slated to close at the end of this year, town officials are preparing for a post-landfill future. But with the closure arriving sooner than anticipated, those preparations have been shaded by persistent trash-related tension.<\/p>\n<p>The end of operations at the landfill also marks the end of a settlement agreement between Casella and Bethlehem, under which Casella has provided curbside waste pickup and disposal services to residents. Free service will no longer be available to residents once the landfill closes, a change officials said called for the town to develop alternative, permanent systems for handling waste.<\/p>\n<p>kAm|6&gt;36CD @7 E96 q6E9=696&gt; %C2?D76C $E2E:@? r@&gt;&gt;:EE66[ E2D&lt;65 H:E9 &gt;2&lt;:?8 E9@D6 A=2?D[ D2:5 E96J H6C6 C625J E@ 5:DE2?46 q6E9=696&gt; 7C@&gt; E96 =2?57:== H:E9:? :ED 3@C56CD] %96 D:E6 92D 366? A=28F65 3J 6?G:C@?&gt;6?E2= G:@=2E:@?D 2?5 4@?46C?D 2&gt;@?8 D@&gt;6 @7 :ED ?6:893@CDj E96 4=@DFC6 \ud83d\ude00 E96 C6DF=E @7 AC6G:@FD K@?:?8 564:D:@?D[ G@E65 @? 3J C6D:56?ED[ E@ AC@9:3:E 7FCE96C 6IA2?D:@? 2E E96 D:E6 ] qFE D@&gt;6 @E96C C6D:56?ED 2C6 5:D2AA@:?E65 E@ D66 E96 @A6C2E:@? 5C2H E@ 2 4=@D6[ 2?5 2AAC696?D:G6 23@FE E96 4@DED 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 E2&lt;:?8 @? E96 E2D&lt; @7 &gt;2?28:?8 H2DE6 7@C E96 E@H?\u2019D 2AAC@I:&gt;2E6=J a[d__ C6D:56?ED]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmpD q6E9=696&gt; D4C2&gt;3=6D E@ &gt;@G6 :?E@ 2 ?6H A92D6 2E E96 6?5 @7 E9:D J62C[ D@&gt;6 =@?8\\CF??:?8 5632E6D 2C6 282:? E2&lt;:?8 46?E6C DE286]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cxE\u2019D E@F89] xE\u2019D 2 D@C6 DF3;64E] xE\u2019D 366? 2 D@C6 DF3;64E 7@C 2 =@E @7 J62CD[\u201d D2:5 D6=64E 3@2C5 &gt;6&gt;36C r2D6J |24s@?2=5[ DA62&lt;:?8 %F6D52J ?:89E @FED:56 E96 q6E9=696&gt; !F3=:4 {:3C2CJ @? |2:? $EC66E] \u201cp?5 ?@H[ :E\u2019D =:&lt;6[ @9[ H6\u2019C6 96C6 \u2014 3FE H6\u2019C6 ?@E BF:E6 E96C6 J6E]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(92E \ud83d\ude00 492?8:?8nk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmr2D6==2 (2DE6 $6CG:46D 2??@F?465 2E E96 368:??:?8 @7 ~4E@36C E92E s64] b` H@F=5 36 E96 =2DE 52J E96 =2?57:== 2446AED &gt;F?:4:A2= D@=:5 H2DE6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%92E \ud83d\ude00 62C=:6C E92? E96 4@&gt;A2?J\u2019D AC6G:@FD 6DE:&gt;2E6D] pD C646?E=J 2D E9:D DF&gt;&gt;6C[ E@H? @77:4:2=D 962C5 6DE:&gt;2E65 4=@D:?8 52E6D \ud83d\ude15 a_af 7C@&gt; r2D6==2[ q6E9=696&gt; $6=64E q@2C5 &gt;6&gt;36C }2?4J $EC2?5 D2:5 \ud83d\ude15 2 A9@?6 :?E6CG:6H (65?6D52J] r2D6==2 &#8216;:46 !C6D:56?E @7 r@&gt;&gt;F?:42E:@?D y677 (6=5 D2:5 \ud83d\ude15 2 (65?6D52J 6&gt;2:= E92E E96 4@&gt;A2?J 925 366? 5:D4FDD:?8 4=@DFC6 E:&gt;67C2&gt;6D H:E9 4@&gt;&gt;F?:EJ C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D 7@C E96 A2DE J62C]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 2??@F?46&gt;6?E H2D?\u2019E E@@ &gt;F49 @7 2 DFCAC:D6[ $EC2?5 2?5 @E96C @77:4:2=D D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cxE\u2019D &lt;:?5 @7 2 D9@4&lt;[ 3FE H6 6H :E H2D 8@:?8 E@ 92AA6? 6G6?EF2==J[\u201d D2:5 |24s@?2=5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm~?46 E96 =2?57:== C62496D 42A24:EJ[ r2D6==2 &gt;FDE 7@==@H 2 4=@DFC6 AC@E@4@= 7@==@H65 3J @?8@:?8 6?G:C@?&gt;6?E2= &gt;@?:E@C:?8 2E E96 D:E6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(96? E96 =2?57:== \ud83d\ude00 ?@ =@?86C 2446AE:?8 H2DE6[ E96 28C66&gt;6?E E92E C6BF:C6D r2D6==2 E@ C6EC:6G6 C6D:56?ED\u2019 EC2D9 H:== ?@ =@?86C 36 24E:G6[ $EC2?5 2?5 (6=5 D2:5] (6=5 2=D@ :56?E:7:65 2??F2= 766D A2:5 E@ E96 E@H?[ \u201c4@&gt;&gt;F?:EJ 5@?2E:@?D[\u201d 2?5 2? 2??F2= 9@FD69@=5 92K2C5@FD H2DE6 5C@A\\@77 52J 2D 2&gt;@?8 E96 @E96C r2D6==2\\CF? AC@8C2&gt;D E92E H@F=5 6?5 2E E92E E:&gt;6] r2D6==2 2=D@ 6IA64ED E96 2&gt;@F?E @7 AC@A6CEJ E2I6D A2:5 E@ E96 E@H? E@ 5C@A[ 96 25565]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 :&gt;&gt;65:2E6 C6DF=E @7 E96 6?5 @7 4FC3D:56 A:4 H:== ?665 2 A=2? \ud83d\ude15 A=246 E@ 4@==64E 2?5 D@CE H2DE6[ E96? EC2?DA@CE :E E@ 2?@E96C 724:=:EJ 7@C 7:?2= 5:DA@D:E:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%92E\u2019D H96C6 E96 %C2?D76C $E2E:@? r@&gt;&gt;:EE66 4@&gt;6D :?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%C2?D76C DE2E:@? 5C62&gt;:?8k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 q6E9=696&gt; %C2?D76C $E2E:@? r@&gt;&gt;:EE66 6?G:D:@?D 2 7FEFC6 &gt;F?:4:A2= H2DE6 4@==64E:@? DE2E:@? 7@C 2 E@H?\\@H?65 A2C46= @? #@FE6 &#8220;e]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm&amp;?=:&lt;6 &gt;@DE E@H?D[ H:E9 6DE23=:D965 AC@465FC6D 7@C 562=:?8 H:E9 E96:C D@=:5 H2DE6[ $EC2?5 G:6HD q6E9=696&gt; 2D 724:?8 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ DE2CE \u201c7C@&gt; D4C2E49]\u201d $96 9@A6D E96 724:=:EJ H:== AC@G:56 36?67:ED E@ E96 4@&gt;&gt;F?:EJ E92E 8@ 36J@?5 7F=7:==:?8 E96:C C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ E@ D96A96C5 H2DE6 E@ 2 =2?57:==]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(6[ 2D 2 D&gt;2== E@H?[ 42?[ x 36=:6G6[ 4C62E6 2 C62==J &lt;:4&lt;\\2DD EC2?D76C DE2E:@?[\u201d D96 D2:5 2E 2 yF?6 &gt;66E:?8 @7 E96 %C2?D76C $E2E:@? r@&gt;&gt;:EE66]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmpE E96 EC2?D76C DE2E:@?[ E96 DE2?52C5 4@==64E:@?[ D@CE:?8[ 2?5 D6?5@77 @7 EC2D9 2?5 C64J4=:?8 H@F=5 36 2 8:G6?[ E96 4@&gt;&gt;:EE66 D2:5] W%C2D9 H:== 36 D6?E E@ E96 |@F?E r2C36CCJ =2?57:== \ud83d\ude15 q6C=:?]X ~E96C 762EFC6D @FE=:?65 7@C E96 D:E6 :?4=F56 2 7@@5 H2DE6 4@==64E:@? DJDE6&gt;[ E@ 6?23=6 C6D:56?ED E@ 4@&gt;A@DE 2?5 C65F46 E96 H2DE6 E92E &gt;FDE 36 D6?E E@ 2 =2?57:==[ 2D H6== 2D 2 \u201c7C66 DE@C6[\u201d H96C6 C6D:56?ED 42? 6I492?86 :E6&gt;D E96J ?@ =@?86C H2?E 3FE E92E 2C6 ?@E ?646DD2C:=J C625J 7@C E96 =2?57:==]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 DE2E:@? H:== 4@DE 23@FE S` &gt;:==:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 4@&gt;&gt;:EE66] #6D:56?ED 92G6 7F?565 2 42A:E2= C6D6CG6 244@F?E H:E9 23@FE Sb__[___ 7@C E96 AC@;64E] %96 C6&gt;2:?56C @7 E96 4@DE[ E96 4@&gt;&gt;:EE66 2?5 D6=64E 3@2C5 D2J[ H:== 4@&gt;6 7C@&gt; 2 7656C2= 8C2?E \ud83d\ude15 E96 7@C&gt; @7 4@?8C6DD:@?2==J 5:C64E65 DA6?5:?8 7C@&gt; $6?] y62??6 $92966?[ H:E9 23@FE Sfd_[___ 62C&gt;2C&lt;65 7@C E96 AC@;64E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmqFE E96 AC@46DD @7 E96 8C2?E\u2019D C6=62D6 E@ E96 E@H? 92D 366? D=@H] |24s@?2=5 D2:5 E96 7F?5D H6C6 56A6?56?E @? A6C&gt;:EE:?8 C6G:6HD 3J E96 &amp;]$] s6A2CE&gt;6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6[ H9:49 \ud83d\ude00 25&gt;:?:DE6C:?8 E96 7F?5D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm~? (65?6D52J[ $EC2?5 D2:5 4@&gt;&gt;F?:42E:@?D 62C=:6C E9:D H66&lt; 7C@&gt; E96 &amp;$sp :?5:42E65 E96 E@H? H@F=5 86E E96 \u201c8C66? =:89E\u201d \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@&gt;:?8 H66[ r@?4@C5\\32D65 pC:6D t?8:?66C:?8[ E@ 368:? H@C&lt; @? E96 D:E6 2?5 :DDF6 C6BF6DED 7@C AC@A@D2=D 7@C E96 DECF4EFC2= H@C&lt;]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmqFE H:E9 7F?5D ?@E J6E 2G2:=23=6 E@ E96 E@H?[ 2?5 E96 r2D6==2 =2?57:==\u2019D 4=@DFC6 =:&lt;6=J 92AA6?:?8 D@@?6C E92? A=2??65[ q6E9=696&gt; &gt;FDE 7:?5 2 H2J E@ 7:== E96 82A] $EC2?5 6DE:&gt;2E65 E92E E96 A6C&gt;2?6?E EC2?D76C DE2E:@? H@F=5 36 C625J \ud83d\ude15 DF&gt;&gt;6C @C 72== a_afj \ud83d\ude15 E96 &gt;62?E:&gt;6[ E96 E@H? A=2?D E@ @A6C2E6 2 E6&gt;A@C2CJ EC2?D76C DE2E:@? 2E E96 E@H? 82C286[ H:E9 C@==:?8 5F&gt;ADE6CD 4@==64E:?8 &gt;2E6C:2=D 7@C EC2?DA@CE]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmuF?5:?8 E96D6 &gt;62DFC6D \ud83d\ude00 2?@E96C 492==6?86] %96 %C2?D76C $E2E:@? r@&gt;&gt;:EE66 92D C64@&gt;&gt;6?565 :&gt;A=6&gt;6?E:?8 2 A2J\\2D\\J@F\\E9C@H DJDE6&gt;[ \ud83d\ude15 H9:49 C6D:56?ED &gt;FDE AFC492D6 DA64:2==J &gt;2C&lt;65 EC2D9 328D E@ 5:DA@D6 @7 H2DE6[ E@ 96=A 7F?5 E96 EC2D9 &gt;2?286&gt;6?E DJDE6&gt; 8@:?8 7@CH2C5] qFE 2== E96 D2&gt;6[ E2&lt;:?8 @? E96 E@H?\u2019D EC2D9 H:== 92G6 2 3F586E :&gt;A24E[ $EC2?5 D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(6 92G6 E@ A2J E96 E:AA:?8 766D 2E |@F?E r2C36CCJ[ H6 92G6 E@ :?G6DE \ud83d\ude15 E96 A2J\\2D\\J@F\\E9C@H 328D[\u201d D96 D2:5] ~E96C 4@DED H:== :?4=F56 DE277 2E E96 EC2?D76C DE2E:@?i 2 &gt;2?286C[ A=FD 2E =62DE @?6 A2CE\\E:&gt;6 2EE6?52?E] \u201c%96C6\u2019D ?@ BF6DE:@? E92E E2IA2J6CD H:== D66 2 492?86[\u201d $EC2?5 D2:5] \u201c\u2026(6\u2019C6 ;FDE ECJ:?8 E@ &gt;2&lt;6 :E 2D &gt;:?:&gt;2= 2D A@DD:3=6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp =6824J @7 H2DE6 EC@F3=6Dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 ?6H 2?E:4:A2E65 4@DED @7 H2DE6 &gt;2?286&gt;6?E 92G6 ?@E 366? H6=4@&gt;65 3J 2== C6D:56?ED] %96 724E E92E 4FC3D:56 H2DE6 A:46[ |24s@?2=5 D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 E@H? 92D D@=:4:E65 3:5D 7C@&gt; &gt;F=E:A=6 4@&gt;A2?:6D 7@C H2DE6 92F=:?8[ $EC2?5 D2:5[ :?4=F5:?8 r2D6==2] %9@F89 (6=5 4@?7:C&gt;65 E92E 7C66 4FC3D:56 A:4A2?J 92D ?@E J6E D2:5 H92E E92E 4@DE H@F=5 36]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm$@&gt;6 C6D:56?ED 5:D4FDD65 AFEE:?8 2 H2CC2?E 2CE:4=6 367@C6 G@E6CD =2DE J62C E@ 6IA=@C6 492?8:?8 E96 E@H?\u2019D AC@9:3:E:@? @? 6IA2?D:@? @C C6@A6?:?8 ?68@E:2E:@?D H:E9 r2D6==2[ |24s@?2=5 D2:5] qFE ?@ 2CE:4=6 H2D F=E:&gt;2E6=J AFE 7@CH2C5 =2DE J62C[ 2?5 E9@F89 E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 92G6 4@?E:?F65 E9:D J62C[ 96 D2:5 96 H@?56C65 :7 E96 FA4@&gt;:?8 |2C49 a_af E@H? &gt;66E:?8 H@F=5 36 \u201cE@@ =2E6\u201d 7@C DF49 2 &gt;@G6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c}rt$ 92D E96 A9JD:42= DA246 E@ 6IA2?5 2?5 4@?E:?F6 AC@G:5:?8 5:DA@D2= 42A24:EJ 7@C q6E9=696&gt; 2?5 E96 &gt;@C6 E92? a__ }6H w2&gt;AD9:C6 4@&gt;&gt;F?:E:6D E92E C6=J @? E96 724:=:EJ] w@H6G6C[ 6IA2?D:@? H@F=5 C6BF:C6 2 492?86 \ud83d\ude15 =@42= K@?:?8[ H9:49 92D ?@E @44FCC65[ 2D H6== 2D 2AA=:423=6 C68F=2E@CJ 2AAC@G2=D[\u201d (6=5 D2:5[ C676CC:?8 E@ q6E9=696&gt;\u2019D AC@9:3:E:@? @? 6IA2?D:@? 2E E96 D:E6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm#6D:56?E s2?:6= }@J6D D2:5 96 925?\u2019E 76=E A@D:E:G6 23@FE E96 4=@DFC6 2??@F?46&gt;6?E] |@DE=J[ 96 D2:5[ 96 2?5 @E96CD 96 6H H6C6 4@?7FD65 23@FE E96 DE2EFD @7 E96 E@H?\u2019D A=2?D 7@C :ED EC2D9[ 2?5 H:D965 7@C &gt;@C6 4@&gt;&gt;F?:42E:@? 7C@&gt; E96 %C2?D76C $E2E:@? r@&gt;&gt;:EE66] ~? %F6D52J ?:89E[ 96 925 2EE6&gt;AE65 E@ 2EE6?5 2 &gt;66E:?8 @7 E96 4@&gt;&gt;:EE66[ H9:49 H2D F=E:&gt;2E6=J 42?46=65 7@C =24&lt; @7 2 BF@CF&gt;] }@J6D D2:5 96 H2D 5:D2AA@:?E65 ?@E E@ 36 23=6 E@ 2D&lt; BF6DE:@?D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201ctG6CJ@?6\u2019D 8@E 2 5:776C6?E DE@CJ @7 H92E E96J E9:?&lt; \ud83d\ude00 92AA6?:?8[\u201d 96 D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmtG6? H:E9 @A6C2E:@?D 5C2H:?8 5@H?[ q6E9=696&gt; H:== ?@E D@@? 7@C86E E96 H2DE6 A:=6 H:E9:? :ED 3@C56CD[ $EC2?5 D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%96 =2?57:== H:== 36 E96C6 7@C6G6C[ J@F @Hn\u201d D96 D2:5] \u201c%92E\u2019D 2 8:2?E &gt;@F?E2:? @G6C E96C6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmw6C 9@A6 \ud83d\ude00 E92E E96 E@H? 42? 6?5FC6 E96 EC2?D:E:@? 29625 2?5 @G6C4@&gt;6 E96 EC2D9\\C6=2E65 5:DAFE6D E92E 92G6 5:G:565 C6D:56?ED 7@C 564256D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c|@DE A6@A=6[ x E9:?&lt;[ \ud83d\ude15 @FC E@H? 2C6 ;FDE E:C65 @7 E96 7:89E[ E:C65 @7 E96 5:G:D:@?D E92E :E 4C62E6D[ E:C65 @7 E96 D2&gt;6 @=5 2C8F&gt;6?ED[ 3@E9 AC@ 2?5 282:?DE[\u201d $EC2?5 D2:5] \u201c*@F @H[ H6\u2019C6 ;FDE \u2014 H6 ;FDE H2?E E@ &gt;@G6 @?]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With Casella Waste Services\u2019 landfill in Bethlehem slated to close at the end of this year, town officials&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":307565,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154,8452,5788,8422,2889,29322],"class_list":["post-307564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news","tag-committee","tag-environmental-issues","tag-landfill","tag-pollution","tag-waste"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=307564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/307565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=307564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=307564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=307564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}