New Kensington residents won't pay more with new garbage hauler

New Kensington will switch garbage haulers in 2020, but residents won’t pay more for trash collection.

City council awarded the contract to County Hauling, a division of Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill of Rostraver. The company will replace Waste Management, which has been the city’s hauler for several years.

The cost to residents will be unchanged at $78.13 per quarter, city Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti said. Garbage will continue to be picked up across the entire city on Fridays.

County Hauling submitted a bid with lower per-ton costs than Waste Management, according to Scarpiniti. The two companies were the only bidders. Waste Management’s three-year contract with the city will expire at the end of the year.

The new contract with County Hauling is for one year with options to be renewed for a second and third year.

“We are a growing, locally-owned company,” spokeswoman Ro Rozier said. “We are thrilled to be able to provide service to New Kensington and many other communities in Allegheny, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Ample trucks have been purchased to be put into service and local talent has already been sourced to staff the routes.”

County Hauling’s cost in the first year will be $157 per ton. That’s lower than Waste Management’s current charge of $158.43 per ton, and the company’s bid for the new contract of $163.18, according to Scarpiniti.

County Hauling’s per-ton rates in the second and third year are $160.03 and $164.95; Waste Management bid $168.89 and $174.80 for those years, respectively.

Scarpiniti said County Hauling will be sending a letter to residents informing them it is the new hauler. The letter will include a number to call if a garbage pickup is missed.