Forks Township has approved a contract for the processing of recyclable materials that will bring a return based on market commodity values. The township’s agreement with J.P. Mascaro & Sons calls for Forks to be charged $112 per ton. The township would get 100 percent of the difference if the post-consumer market price that Mascaro fetches for selling the processed recyclables is higher.
Forks must still iron-out final details before selecting its solid waste hauler, which will also determine where the material is transported to. A successful bidder has been identified, but final confirmation must be received from the Department of Environmental Protection before the Board of Supervisors can vote to approve the contract, Finance Manager Jim Farley said.
Approval should come during the board’s next meeting on April 20, he said.
The agreement with J.P. Mascaro, effective Sept. 1, is for three years with two one-year options. The township is currently under contract with Republic Services to collect and dispose recyclables and solid waste.
That agreement, also for three years with two one-year options, expired in August, but the township opted to exercise its first option year to extend it and buy time to work out new contracts for recycling and solid waste.
The contract with J.P. Mascaro, approved by the supervisors by a 4-0 vote Thursday, is solely for the processing of the material and not for curb-side pick-up.
Once a hauler is approved, material will be transported to J.P. Mascaro’s recycling location in North Whitehall Township for processing.
The company submitted the lower of two bids, with Waste Management submitting the other.
Councilman Eric Chuss, who abstained, said he wasn’t prepared to vote on the contract because he didn’t anticipate a decision being made during a workshop session.
“We’ve done it in the past, and the public also knows we may do this,” Councilman Ed Moore said.
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