Recycling – Coolbaugh Township

Recycling is the law. Pennsylvania Act 101 and Coolbaugh Township require that businesses, professionals, non-profit organizations, institutions, and industrial and residential landlords must recycle plastic containers, glass bottles and jars, newspapers, office paper, magazines, junk mail, phone books, cardboard, and yard waste. It further requires that you report your recycling information to the Township each year.

Thus, Coolbaugh Township enacted our solid waste ordinance (Chapter 20) which can be obtained here

The purpose of Chapter 20 is to establish a program for the mandatory source-separation and separate collection of designated recyclable materials, and leaf waste, from residences and properties receiving municipal waste collection service from or on behalf of the Township of Coolbaugh for recycling and composting purposes; to prohibit the disposal of designated recyclable materials into the conventional municipal waste disposal system; to empower the Township to promulgate and adopt reasonable rules and regulations therefore, and to fix penalties for violation. The ordinance requires all residents and commercial establishments to recycle. Additionally, commercial establishments are required to provide an annual report of recyclables to the Township.

Residential – All recyclables are required to be kept separate from municipal waste and shall be placed at curbside or some appropriate location on the premises to be collected at times designated by the private hauler.

Multi-Family residential – Every such landlord shall set up a convenient and practical collection system in such properties for the collection, storage and placement for removal of recyclables generated by the residents of such properties.

Commercial – All recyclables, which are required to be kept separate from municipal waste in commercial, municipal and institutional establishments and properties and community activities, either shall be delivered directly to a recycling center or shall be picked up by an authorized private hauler separately from municipal waste.

Separation of recyclables- Recyclables and leaf waste shall be kept separate from municipal waste, for the purpose of recycling and composting respectively, to the extent required by the following provisions:

(1) Owners and occupants of all residential properties shall keep separate the following recyclables: clear glass containers, brown glass containers, green glass containers, aluminum cans, tin cans, plastics 1 and plastics 2, and newspapers. Leaf waste is required to be separate for the purpose of composting.

(2) Owners and occupants of all commercial municipal and institutional establishments and properties and organizers of community activities shall keep separate the following recyclables clear glass containers brown glass containers green glass containers aluminum cans corrugated newspapers mixed paper and high grade office paper Leaf waste shall also be kept separate for the purpose of composting Owners and occupants of commercial municipal and institutional establishments may seek an exemption to the requirements of this Chapter as specified under Act 101 Section c1iii if the owners and occupants have otherwise provided for recycling of the materials they are required by this Part to recycle To be eligible for an exemption a commercial municipal or institutional solid waste generator must annually provide written documentation to the Township of the total number of tons recycled.

(3) Additionally the Township may subsequently enumerate additional recyclables that will be required to be separated from municipal waste and collected in accordance with this Part provided a sixty day notification is provided to private haulers and residents.

Recyclables shall not be placed in the same garbage can or other container as, or otherwise mixed with, municipal waste for collection, removal or disposal. Recyclables shall not be placed in plastic bags or other disposable bags or containers made of polyethylene or other similar base.

Unless otherwise provided for composting, all persons shall keep leaf waste separate from all other forms of municipal waste and separate from recyclables. Such waste shall be set out for collection in a manner to be designated by the private hauler and shall be delivered by the private hauler to a leaf composting facility operating in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Regulations and Guidelines for Leaf Composting.

All private haulers shall submit to the Township a recycling report and all weigh slips obtained from the facility or facilities to which the recyclables were delivered or taken. The said weigh slips shall indicate the weight of all recyclables collected from within the Township.

It shall be unlawful for any person, except for litter control and/or roadside clean-up personnel, and other persons licensed by the State of Pennsylvania as per the amended Title 27 (Environmental Resources), Waste Transportation Safety Program of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, to collect, haul, transport municipal waste and recyclables. All such haulers shall comply with the provisions of Title 27, as well as all federal, state, county and local laws and regulations to collect and to transport waste of any 12512 1/9/2006 § 125-20 SOLID WASTE § 125-23 nature or recyclables within or from the Township. Authorization to collect, transport and for proper disposition of municipal waste or recyclables for persons other than one’s self or for whom one is acting as agent (as defined in this article) may be given only by the State of Pennsylvania through the issuance of a collector's license.

Coolbaugh Township seeks a cleaner community through recycling. Recycling is crucial as waste has a large negative impact on the natural environment. Recycling reduces the amount of harmful chemicals and gases released from landfills and also helps reduce pollution caused by waste and the need for more raw materials.

Reporting – Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the CoolbaughTownship code, “… every multifamily housing property, commercial, municipal and institutional establishment and community activity sponsor shall complete a form to be designated a recycling report, to be provided by the Township, which shall indicate were the property’s recyclables were delivered or picked up by whom. Such report shall provide information on the type and amount of each material recycled.” Section 125-32 provides that any violation of the ordinance shall result in a fine of not less than $300 and nor more than $1,000 plus costs and for each day that the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.

Recycling Compliance Report