Burlington County homeowners frustrated as recycling piles up, due to driver shortage
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. - Trash and recycling collection is easy to take for granted. Bins go to the curb and someone empties the bins and the bins are returned to the home.
Except, when that doesn’t happen.
"You can see they’re overflowing and to leave them out indefinitely is ridiculous," Michael Spitzer stated.
Recyclables piling up after a long, holiday weekend.
"I’ve already been out here picking up trash before you came, so it didn’t show on camera," Spitzer commented.
Homeowners in Mount Laurel Township say they didn’t get the memo that their bi-weekly collection isn’t happening as scheduled, as a nationwide truck driver shortage directly impacts Burlington County.
Due to a severe driver shortage all Burlco towns will experience delays for the foreseeable future.
The Occupational Training Center, which operates the county’s recycling program, says the staffing issues began during the pandemic. Then, last month, multiple truck drivers left at once, leaving them severely short-staffed, according to a spokesperson for Burlington County, who says, "The increased competition for truck drivers has made retention difficult."
"I’m frustrated, because, as a tax payer in this county, we have a right to be notified," Spitzer added.
According to an OTC Operations Manager, recycling pickup is well over a week behind schedule. The OTC is trying to hire and train new drivers as quickly as possible. They’re requesting people’s patience and say they’ll be updating the recycling pick-up schedule on the Burlington County recycling hotline.
For those interested in employment with Occupational Training Center of Burlington County, information and job listings can be found here.
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