Refuse Collection and Sewer Maintenance Invoices

Refuse Collection and Sewer Maintenance invoices are mailed to property owners in early February.  Please note that both invoices are mailed together in one envelope to save on postage and material costs.  The payment due dates for each invoice are staggered so that payments are not due on the same date.

The Refuse Collection Fee will remain at $290.00 per year.
The Sewer Maintenance Fee will remain at $160.00 per year.

     Refuse Collection Fee:
$280.00 due until 3/31/2022
$290.00 if paid by 6/30/2022
$305.00 if paid 7/1/22 to 12/31/22

Two Payment Plan Option:  First Installment of $145.00 due by 3/31/2022
Second Installment of $145.00 due by 6/30/2022

 Sewer Maintenance Fee:
$152.00 due until  4/30/2022
$160.00 if paid by  7/31/2022
$175.00 if paid 8/1/22 to 12/31/22

Two Payment Plan Option:  First Installment of $80.00 due by 4/30/2022
Second Installment of $80.00 due by 7/31/2022

Why did my Refuse Rate Increase?

Message to Residents:

      Laflin Borough Council publicly advertised for Refuse Collection Bids for a four-year contract term since its existing contract for these services was to expire on 1/31/2021.  Laflin Borough, however, only received bids from 2 refuse collectors who were interested in servicing our community.  Unfortunately, both bids received would result in a substantial cost increase for both refuse and recycling collections.  County Waste, a GFL Company, was the successful low bidder.  The bid proposal received from J.P. Mascaro & Sons, who handled collections for the borough for many years, was approximately $157,000 higher ($39,250 per year) than County Waste for the same four-year contract term.  Although being the responsible low bidder, County Waste, was still substantially higher than the Borough’s 2020 former contract at an additional cost of approximately $42,863 per year.  The result of this additional annual increase is that Laflin Borough will need to increase annual refuse rates by $50.

      A substantial reason for the increased costs from refuse haulers is due to the market changes in the recycling industry.  The market demand for recycled materials has declined resulting in higher disposal costs for haulers.  Most local governments are struggling to adapt to this new reality as evidenced by some municipalities cancelling their respective recycling programs in their entirety or eliminating certain aspects of them such as glass recycling.  Laflin Borough remains committed to its existing recycling program and believes the impacts of it on the environment outweigh its recent additional costs.   

      Laflin Borough remains focused on controlling costs and mitigating any incremental costs it can.  Its approach has been successful over the years as evidenced by keeping its refuse costs and associated fees stable since 2008.  It should be noted that all aspects of its garbage and recycling program will continue uninterrupted for the next 4 years with a weekly allowance of 6 bags of trash, 1 monthly bulk item and biweekly recycling pick-up.  Note the recycling pick will now be every 2^nd week as compared to twice monthly in order to reduce the amount of time required for the storage of recycled material by residents.

Refuse Pick-Up

County Waste of PA, a GFL Company, will handle trash and recycling collections for Laflin Borough.  All collections will be done manually with a collection crew.  Meaning, the single driver in the automated truck with the mechanical arm will not be used in Laflin.

Trash collections are every Tuesday of the month (6 bag weekly limit; 33gal. max size).  Bags can be put-to-the-curb or the homeowners can use their own container (the trash contractor is not providing special totes).

Recycling Pick-Up

Recycling will be picked up every other Tuesday.  Laflin Borough recycling cans or any blue recycling can should be used for recycling (the recycling contractor is not providing special totes for recycling).

Many residents have asked if cardboard is recycled or hauled with the trash truck.  If the cardboard is flattened, bundled and inserted into another cardboard box or included in your comingled container with the other recyclables, it will be picked-up with the recycling collection on the designated day.   Pizza boxes are not eligible for recycling due to the potential for grease contamination.

If cardboard is broken down and placed at the curb on non-recycling days it will be taken with the trash on that particular day.

Bulk Items

One Bulk Item is allowed on the first Tuesday collection of the month.

Electronics are no longer permitted to be picked up.  IMPORTANT:  State Law CDRA Act 108 now prohibits Laptops, Computers, Computer Monitors and Televisions from being disposed of in the trash.  These items will not be collected by the hauler.   Contact Laflin Borough for other options for these special electronic devises.

Freon must be removed from freezers, refrigerators, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners.  A service tag must be attached indicating the Freon was removed by a licensed professional.

Mattresses and box springs are required to be enclosed in a mattress disposal bag and sealed then put to the curb for bulk item pickup.

Christmas trees will be collected as a bulk item.

Holiday Collections Dates

Keep the schedule below available for date changes due to holidays.  Also refer to the annual collection calendar for holidays that will change the collection reschedule.

            Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – No change in schedule

            Presidents’ Day – No change in schedule

            Memorial Day Observed – Collections will be on Wednesday

            Independence Day; Christmas and New Year’s Day – to be determined (based on yearly calendar)

            Labor Day – Collections will be on Wednesday

            Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day & Election Day – No change in schedule

RECYCLING SCHEDULE

GENERAL RECYCLING INFORMATION

HOW TO PREPARE RECYCLABLES GENERAL RULES:

1. All bottles, jars and cans must be rinsed and clean. Remove tops.
2. Step on and crush plastic bottles and jars.
3. Do Not break or crush glass bottles and jars.
4. Labels may stay on all products. Remove tops.

WHAT TO RECYCLE

All of the following items can be mixed together (comingled) in your recycling container.

CANS – YES Aluminum cans (soda), Tin (steel) cans, All foods cans (example: vegetables, fruit, pet food, juice, coffee, etc., including large economy size), Aluminum pie tins, all items must be rinsed.

CANS – NO Aerosol spray cans, Foil and Paint cans.

GLASS – YES Clear, brown or green bottles and jars. Remove tops and rinse. Labels can be left on.

GLASS – NO Mirrors, dishes, cups, lightbulbs, crystal or ceramics.

PLASTIC – YES Bottle and jar containers only (example: milk, water, soda, detergent, shampoo). Remove tops, rinse and crush.

PLASTIC – NO Motor oil bottles, plastic cups, flowers, pens, toys, plastic wrap or styrofoam.

NEWSPAPERS:  Place in brown paper bags or tie with cotton string or comingled in same container.

What Do You Mean You Can’t Recycle All Plastics???

Sorry, but not all plastics can be made into new items, so some can’t be put in your recycling bin.  But you CAN recycle most of the plastic containers in your home.  All plastic bottles and jars are recyclable.  Remember when you would look at the bottom of the plastic bottle or jar for the triangle with a number in it?  Here in Laflin Borough you don’t have to do that anymore!  If it’s a bottle or jar…(that means it probably has a screw-on top)….RECYCLE IT!!

Please throw away the tops.

Most of the time, the tops are made from a different material than the bottles and jars. This creates a problem for manufacturers who make specific items from the type plastic the bottles and jars are made of. The tops must be discarded.

Give the bottles and jars a quick rinse.

Recycling is all about people. Recyclables are handled by those in your home…the workers who pick it up for you…the people who work at the recycling centers and manufacturing plants. Recyclables are not garbage, but items that will be made into new things by people. Do your part…simply rinse them out!

Laflin Borough Sewer Information

       Please be advised that the Laflin Borough Council has designated Koberlein Environmental Services for sewer service as its authorized agent for diagnosing and repairing any sewer related problems in our Borough.  Please note any resident with any kind of sewer-related problem should immediately notify the Borough Manager during normal business hours at 570-654-3323. Following normal business hours, please contact Koberlein direct at 570-253-3660 for immediate problem determination and resolution.

       Koberlein Environmental will assess the problem and determine whose responsibility it is for the repair.  Pursuant to Ordinance No. 5 of 1987, governing sewers and connections, homeowners are responsible for any repairs from the residence/structure to the septic tank.  The Borough is responsible for any repairs beginning at the tank and through to the main sewer line. The Borough is obligated for the operation and maintenance of the main interceptor sewers and the collection sewer mains in the street.  If the problem is the homeowner’s responsibility, he/she has the option to select Koberlein or the service provider of his or her choice to make repairs. For those homes without septic tanks, the Borough is liable for the sewer laterals from the street to three (3) feet past the curb and the homeowner is responsible for the remaining length of the pipe to the residence/structure.

Septic tank cleaning is routinely scheduled and performed throughout the year.  Other than in the case of emergencies, which should be addressed as above-outlined, individual residents should not call to have their septic tank cleaned as they may then be charged for any maintenance that they request.

Please feel free to contact the Borough at 570-654-3323 if you have further inquiries.