Dec. 08, 2015
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jack Rader’s (R-Monroe)
House Bill 1533, which would amend the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act to add a population density requirement for large rural municipalities and their leaf collection programs, was passed by the House this week. The bill is intended to help local governments save money by allowing them to opt out of leaf collection programs.
“This bill, if passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, would give municipalities the opportunity to save hundreds of thousands of dollars by avoiding the purchase of leaf collection equipment. Many rural areas do not have a need for expensive and labor intensive leaf collection programs,” said Rader.
For example, a township in central Pennsylvania, with a population over 22,000, has an annual contract of $165,000 for leaf collection (and they only contract out the labor portion; the township owns its own equipment).
The bill would allow municipalities with over 5,000 people and a population density of under 500 people per square mile to end their leaf recycling programs if they so choose. Also included in this bill is a leaf-burning ban that is required for those municipalities that opt out of municipal leaf collection.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Jack Rader
176th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Morgan Dux
717.260.6695
mdux@pahousegop.com
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