Livingston Online® -- Recycling Information

Garbage Disposal

Livingstons's municipal garbage service includes twice a week, rear yard pickup of three 30-gallon trash cans of household waste. Also included is the pickup of:
-- Garden materials
-- Bulky items (once a month)

Garden materials, including grass and leaves, but not rocks and bricks, should be placed in plastic bags on regular pickup days. Leaves will not be picked up with garbage collection during collection season, usually November and December. (See leaf collection.)

Twigs and branches should be tied in bundles not over 50 pounds, or over 4 feet in length. Smaller twigs can be placed in rigid containers, also not over 50 pounds.

Bulky Items

Bulky items are picked up at the curb on the resident's last pickup day of the month, but not usually by the same truck. These include the following items, and in general, all nonmetal items:
-- Car batteries
-- Doors
-- Furniture
-- Paint cans
-- Porcelain sinks and toilets
-- Rugs
-- Storm windows/doors
-- Toys
-- TV's
-- Refrigerators
-- Freezers
-- Air conditioners

Unacceptable items include:
-- Ashes
-- Rocks and soil
-- Stones
-- Trees
-- Recyclable items

It is important to note that when the last collection day falls on a holiday and there is no garbage collection that day, these items will be picked up the previous collection day.

To report problems, or for additional information and specific schedules, call:
White Brothers
Phone: 740-1728

Recycling

Livingston has a strong commitment to recycling; and by law, residents may not put items that can be recycled into the household garbage. Garbagemen may refuse to take garbage containing recyclable items. All recyclables are picked up at the curb.

The Occupational Center is under contract for weekly pickup of certain recyclables. They pick up newspapers one week, and mixed items (bottles, cans and plastics) the next week, throughout the year.

Newspapers, including magazines, catalogs, telephone books, junk mail, etc., should be tied with string or placed in paper, not plastic, bags. Do not include cardboard or books with hard covers. Note: razor blades easily remove hard covers from books.

Everything except household garbage must be placed at the curb.

A recycling calendar, which gives the pickup day of the week for each street in Livingston and has more detailed information, is available at Town Hall. Also available are stick-on arrows that can be used as reminders on home calendars.

If recyclables are not picked up on a scheduled day, or for questions about recycling, call The Occupational Center Hot Line at 674-6266, or the Town Hall at 992-5000.

Mixed Items

Mixed items include:
-- Glass bottles and jars (not aluminum bakery or frozen food pans)
-- Tin and steel food and beverage cans
-- Plastic soda and milk bottles
-- Water and detergent bottles (those stamped HDPE "2" on the bottom are acceptable; those stamped HDPE "3" are not)
-- Plastic bags, plastic, and plastic food containers

Rinse food and beverage containers. Plastic containers should be flattened to save space. Caps and lids should be removed, but there is no need to remove labels. Items should be placed in rigid, reusable containers, no more than 20 gallons in size, without lids.

Do not use bags of any kind. 18-gallon burgundy colored containers, made of recycled plastic, can be purchased for $7.50 at the Town Hall, or can be ordered directly from The Occupational Center at 674-6266.

Tires

To arrange for pickup of tires (without rims), call:
White Brothers
Phone: 740-1728

Metal Items

Metal items are picked up on the last Wednesday of each month, but must be called in to 992-5000 no later than the Friday before the scheduled pickup date.

Metal items included, among other metal objects:
-- washers
-- dryers
-- hot water heaters
-- wheel rims
-- file cabinets
Note: Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners, because they contain freon gas, are included under bulky items.

Fall Leaf Collection

Curbside leaf collection is provided by the Township of Livingston in the fall. Except for those living on state or county roads, where the leaves must be bagged, residents are required to rake leaves into the street at the curb where they are picked up by the leaf harvester. Details on leaf collection are published in the local paper in the fall. At other times of the year, the regular garbage service will take bagged leaves.

Water and Sewer Bills

Combined water/sewer bills are mailed quarterly, usually based on actual meter readings. Because so many residents are not at home when the meter reader comes (all Township employees who need to enter homes carry photo ID's), the Township has a dedicated answering machine at 535-7987 for residents to call in their readings. Those who neglect to do so receive a bill based on average, rather than actual, usage.

Since billings are quarterly, should there be a problem, such as a leaking faucet or toilet (leaks can waste much water), it can go undetected for a long period of time and result in abnormally high water/sewer bills.

When you find a card left by the meter reader, you are encouraged to take your meter reading and call it in promptly. If you get an unusually large bill, don't wait. Call the Wather Service Department at 535-7951, and ask for someone to come to your home. Our people are trained, and can usually pinpoint a problem and tell you what you have to do to correct it.

People have questioned the sewer surcharge. A flat rate of $23.50 is charged quarterly to each residental property. This is not for operating costs, but to repay a $20 million loan (scheduled to be paid by the year 2009) for improvements to the sewage treatment plant mandated by the EPA and DEP.

Drop Box for Tax and Water Payments

For the convenience of residents, the Township has a drop box at the curb behind Town Hall, outside the Tax Department. Payments may be put in envelopes and dropped in the slot. The box is emptied each weekday morning.

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