Major changes coming to Middlesex County curbside recycling pickup. Here’s what to know

The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) will implement Aug. 1 an Automatic Side Load (ASL) service for single-stream, curbside recycling.

Each participating municipality and all its residents will receive 95-gallon wheeled carts with lids to replace the blue barrels or rectangular carts currently in use before the new service begins.

Residents should continue using the existing blue containers until their first recycling pick-up in August when they will then be required to use the new 95-gallon cart.

Each cart has a serial number and barcode linked to each resident’s address.

“This is a major improvement to our curbside recycling collection program and will provide more capacity, easier movement of the container for the homeowner, and cleaner streets,” MCIA Executive Director H. James Polos stated. “The lids will keep recycling material dry, eliminate windblown littering, and keep rodents out.”

Currently, 17 municipalities participate in the curbside recycling program: Cranbury, Dunellen, Helmetta, Jamesburg, Middlesex, Milltown, Monroe, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Piscataway, Plainsboro, Sayreville, South Amboy, South Plainfield, South River, and Spotswood.

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Residents may keep their old totes and bins for uses other than curbside recycling. If residents wish to dispose of their old blue containers, they may be placed in the new cart for pick-up with their recycling.

With the delivery of the new carts, residents will also receive a pamphlet that will outline the new ASL rules for recycling.

The carts will be picked up by a specially equipped truck with a mechanical arm on collection day.

Overall, the recycling process will be faster and safer, the MCIA says.

No materials left on the ground or next to the cart will be picked up by the ASL vehicle.

Residents with questions should contact their local recycling coordinator in their municipality or visit middlesexcountynj.gov/curbside.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

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