Changes Coming to Trash Collection in Cape May, New Jersey

Whether you are a local resident or a seasonal vacationer, Trash Pickup Day is an important date each week for the Shore Towns. Many people plan part of their weekly schedules around making sure their Trash and Recyclables are on the curb, and you can't forget about Bulk Trash Day, which is a big opportunity to get rid of stuff.

But every New Jersey Town has their own set of rules when it comes to Trash Pickup. Some towns require residents to separate trash from recyclables from paper trash. Other communities require the trash cans to be placed on the edge of the property, or the trash collectors will not take the waste.

Now one South Jersey Coastal Community wants to place restrictions on the amount of Recyclables residents and businesses in their community can be left curbside for pick up.

Why Is Cape May Changing Their Trash Pick Up Guidelines?

A new ordinance was introduced at the recent Cape May City Council Meeting that will place restrictions on the amount of Recyclables that residents and businesses can put out for pick up.

The original purpose for changing the Recycling Pick Up Ordinance was to create a better balance between the City's obligations for Trash Pick Up and individual businesses' responsibility for Recyclables disposal.

This new ordinance will now make changes across the board after several months of discussion and redrafts. Some of the new restrictions will include:

-Single and Dual-family homes will be limited to a total of 192 gallons of Recyclables
-An individual container filled with Recyclables cannot exceed 96 gallons
-Any cardboard not inside a container must be bundled, tied, or secured for simple pick up on Trash Days
-All containers with Trash, Recyclables, etc must have lids on them when put out for pick up
-The city will not pick up any Trash, Recyclables, Etc from any property that exeeds six containers
-Any material that needs to be recycled that is beyond the City's new limits is the responsibility of the property owner to find a private hauler to deal with it's disposal.

Reports say there is expected to be a Public Hearing before the official vote to put these new rules into effect is anticipated to happen on April 15th. Cape May City Officials want this ordinance in place ahead of the 2025 Summer Season, which begins in late May.