Upper Milford Residents Make Community Greener

Residents of may have noticed two green and yellow bins sitting outside the Vera Cruz Fire Company since the beginning of February.

These bins have been placed outside the station, located at 4093 Main Road West, in order to collect paper – newspapers, mail, catalogs, magazines, copy paper, wrapping paper, etc. Books may also be recycled; but the hard covers must be removed. 

However, no cardboard or phone books will be accepted.  “The paper used to make [the phone books] has been recycled too many times,” said Kevin Kleinsmith, Vera Cruz Fire Company president.  “A phone book is the last thing that can be done when paper is recycled several times,” he continued. “That’s why the pages are so thin.”

There are no costs involved to the fire company, or to the residents.  Kleinsmith said residents just have to deposit their paper into the bin where designated. 

All monies received benefit the fire company.  According to Kleinsmith, “It hasn’t paid much, yet, but as the word gets out, the bins will fill up quicker.  Our first recent pick up weighed three tons and paid us almost $15.”  He is confident that once residents get in the habit of recycling their paper in the bins, these bins will be emptied more often.

For questions or comments on the program, go to the Vera Cruz Fire Company Web site and fill out the contact section.

In order to recycle old phone books, Upper Milford residents can take them to the Upper Milford Municipal Center, located at 5671 Chestnut St., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except holidays).  The phone books are handled by a local farmer who shreds them as bedding for his animals, according to Cynthia Kuhns, recycling coordinator.

The township also operates a yard waste drop-off facility at 5255 Churchview Road (behind the Old Zionsville Post Office) on Wednesdays noon to 6 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 4 p.m.  During leaf clean up season (mid-October to mid-December) the site is open weekdays (except holidays) 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 4 p.m.

Items accepted at the site include grass, leaves, leafy garden residue, branches and brush up to four (4”) inches in diameter and no longer than eight (8’) feet, and logs four (4”) inches or greater in diameter cut into 20-inch lengths.

The township currently pays a fee to have the brush and branches periodically shredded into mulch, which is then available to the residents for their use.  A processing fee of $35 per load is assessed to the township when yard waste materials must be hauled to the County Composting Facility in Schnecksville. 

Upper Milford began its recycling program on July 10, 1990, when the State of Pennsylvania mandated recycling.  In 2009, PPL offered a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs recycling program as a free service to the township; but when PPL discontinued the program, Upper Milford continued to fund and collect CFL bulbs.  These bulbs can also be brought to the municipal center during business hours.  They are then taken into Allentown to be recycled.

All recycling haulers and businesses are required to report their yearly totals to the township, which then makes a report to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP).  Sometimes Upper Milford receives a grant reimbursement from PA DEP for the amount of materials recycled, which ranges from $5,000 to $6,000 per year and is on a three-year lag cycle. 

Residents can contact Cynthia Kuhns at 610-966-3223 during business hours with any questions about the programs.