Tarentum renews contract with Waste Management for 1 year

Tarentum residents won’t pay more for garbage collection next year, although the borough will.

Council voted 5-0 Thursday to approve a one-year contract extension with its current hauler, Waste Management, for 2021.

Council members Adam Blythe and Erika Josefoski were absent.

Borough Manager Michael Nestico said the per-ton cost to the borough is increasing by about 4%, from $165.03 to $171.63.

The borough produces an average of 2,190 tons of trash a year, Nestico said. The annual cost to the borough will increase by about $14,500, to $375,900.

Despite that increase, Nestico said, residents will continue to pay $22 a month for unlimited collection. The borough will absorb the increased cost, he said.

Council members said they are happy with Waste Management’s service.

“I never hear any nasty complaints about them,” council President Scott Dadowski said.

Councilwoman Carrie Fox said she was concerned about the potential for problems if the borough were to change garbage haulers, based on other communities’ experiences.

Nestico said the borough considered two- and three-year extensions with Waste Management, but additional years would have added further increases in cost. The per-ton cost in a second year would have been $178.50, an 8% increase from this year; in a third year, it would have been $185.64, a 12% increase.

Although the borough did not seek bids this year, Nestico said Tarentum could look at putting the service out for bids for 2022.

Recycling is currently not provided in Tarentum, and the borough is not required to have it based on its population.

Councilman Jim Bonner said the extension gives the borough time to look into offering recycling.

Waste Management provides household hazardous waste and electronic waste collection on an on-call basis.

More information on trash service in Tarentum is available on the borough’s website.