JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ – Jackson residents will no longer have to hold on to their recyclables for weeks at a time anymore as the township announces a return to a weekly recycling schedule, expected to begin this January.
Mayor Jennifer Kuhn and Council President Mordy Burnstein are proud to announce that, after more than a decade, weekly recycling collection is officially returning to Jackson Township. This major quality-of-life improvement is a direct result of the Administration and Township Council’s continued efforts to reduce costs, secure better service, and deliver savings for residents.
Mayor Kuhn and Council President Burnstein reached an agreement with the township’s recycling contractor to increase collection frequency to weekly service, with a slight cost increase that will not affect taxes.
The decision comes less than one month after Mayor Kuhn and Council President Burnstein solicited opinions from residents regarding the recycling contract which was set to renew.
Not only will this be a benefit for the residents of the township, the deal allows for the redrawing of the recycling districts to streamline the resources and scheduling for the vendor for greater convenience to the residents.
It will also help the Department of Public Works reduce its workload when it comes to recycling, allowing its workers to focus more on other critical services throughout the year.
“When I took office in October, I began opening all of the books and looking at all of our contracts and services to see where we can improve, where we can save money, and where we can negotiate better deals with our vendors,” said Mayor Kuhn. “This has always been a sore spot with residents since it was cut over a decade ago to save a few dollars. That decision inconvenienced residents at the time, but today, with increased home deliveries, it’s much worse, and the volume of recyclables has grown exponentially. This is a basic service that a municipality is expected to provide.”
“This is a great deal for Jackson. Picking up recycling once a week is how it should be done, and is needed. It was cut back years ago to once every two weeks, which met the needs of the town and for budget concerns,” Councilman Ken Bressi said. “But today’s needs have increased tremendously with the number of packages and home deliveries. Going to a once-a-week schedule again will help everyone. Enabling us to meet the demand needed to service our town like it should be, today.”
“It’s refreshing to have a mayor who spends a lot of her days in town hall trying to make our town better,” Burnstein added. “We have changed the way we run the township. In a matter of weeks, we went from speaking to residents about the issue to delivering a result. Knowing that the mayor was in the office and working with the vendor, scouring over the contract, and making this deal is something, as a council, we’re just not used to. In the past, this process could have taken months or even years. It took less than 30 days from start to finish.”
“This is a big win for our residents,” said Mayor Kuhn. “We promised to find smarter, more efficient ways to deliver services, and today’s announcement is proof of that commitment. Weekly recycling is a quality of life issue that supports cleaner neighborhoods, reduces litter, and reflects the needs of Jackson residents today.”
Council President Burnstein emphasized the long-term benefits of the new deal to meet the growing demands for recycling in the future, as more business is conducted online, “With the rise of online ordering and increased household packaging—especially from Amazon and other shippers—our residents are producing more recyclables than ever before. Weekly pickup is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. This improvement will help prevent overflow, reduce the boxes flying around our streets, and should even lessen the need for weekend drop-off staffing at the DPW transfer facility, saving us time and resources.”
Council Vice President Giuseppe Palmeri thanked the mayor and the council president for their hard work.
“I want to begin by thanking the residents of Jackson who took the time to email and share their concerns about recycling services. Your feedback matters. After gathering this information, Mayor Kuhn and Council President Burnstein met with the recycling vendor’s leadership team and successfully negotiated a weekly pickup schedule. This means residents will now have the opportunity to place their recycling out every week — a meaningful quality-of-life improvement for our community,” Palmeri said. “This is a big win for Jackson Township and for our residents. It’s also a clear example of transparency and open communication in action: listening to our residents and then acting on their behalf. I fully support this initiative and am grateful for the leadership shown by Mayor Kuhn and Council President Burnstein.”
“I welcome the news that our town will now offer weekly recycling service at an affordable cost, helping our community stay cleaner and greener,” said Councilman Nino Borrelli.
After more than ten years without weekly recycling, Jackson Township is proud to bring this essential service back to the community in a responsible, forward-thinking, and cost-efficient manner.
What’s Next
- New recycling zones and pickup schedules are currently being developed and will be shared with the public ahead of an expected February rollout.
- The Township will begin a weekly information campaign to ensure residents are fully informed and prepared.
- No additional taxes or budget increases will be required—weekly recycling is being achieved through smarter contracting and better resource management.
The mayor and council thank all of the residents who participated in this month’s survey.
If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to Council President Burnstein at mburnstein@jacksontwpnj.net.
