Middlesex County residents are about to see a significant upgrade to their recycling routine. The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) is set to roll out an Automatic Side Load (ASL) service for single-stream, curbside recycling, starting August 1, 2025. This new system aims to enhance efficiency, convenience, and cleanliness across the participating municipalities.
Before the new service kicks off, every household in participating municipalities will receive a new 95-gallon wheeled cart with a lid. These new, larger carts will replace the smaller blue barrels or rectangular containers currently in use. Residents should continue using their existing blue containers until their first recycling pick-up in August, at which point the new cart becomes mandatory.
Each new cart comes with a unique serial number and barcode linked directly to the resident’s address, ensuring proper tracking. Residents have the option to keep their old blue bins for other uses, or they can place them inside their new 95-gallon cart for disposal with their recycling.
MCIA Executive Director H. James Polos highlighted the many advantages of the new service. “This is a major improvement to our curbside recycling collection program and will provide more capacity, easier movement of the container for the homeowner, and cleaner streets,” Polos stated. The addition of lids will be particularly beneficial, keeping recycling materials dry, preventing windblown litter, and deterring rodents.
The ASL service will utilize specially equipped trucks with mechanical arms for collection, making the overall recycling process faster and safer. However, residents should note that no materials left on the ground or next to the cart will be picked up. To ensure successful collection, carts must be easily accessible from the street, with a minimum 4-foot clearance on both sides. These new carts are designed for single-stream comingled materials, meaning all approved recyclables can be placed together in the cart.
Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios emphasized the long-standing commitment to recycling in the county. “For over a decade, curbside recycling has been a shared service the County offers through the MCIA to all municipalities,” Rios said. He added that the new recycling contract, coupled with ongoing education and awareness campaigns, contributes to Middlesex County consistently maintaining one of New Jersey’s best recycling rates.
MCIA Chairman James Nolan further explained that these new containers are part of a new curbside recycling agreement that also fixes recycling rates for up to five years. Nolan noted, “This shared service provides budget stability for municipalities in a very turbulent marketplace.”
The MCIA has also implemented other improvements to its recycling program, including transitioning to a paperless system and utilizing GIS mapping to optimize pick-up routes for greater efficiency. Recycling coordinators now use tablets to address recycling issues and boost compliance through immediate email and picture communication.
Currently, 17 municipalities participate in the curbside recycling program: Cranbury, Dunellen, Helmetta, Jamesburg, Middlesex, Milltown, Monroe, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Piscataway, Plainsboro, Sayreville, South Amboy, South Plainfield, South River, and Spotswood.
Residents with any questions about the new ASL service are encouraged to contact their local Recycling Coordinator or visit middlesexcountynj.gov/curbside.
