Carroll Township approves new trash collection contract

Residents will pay about $12 more per quarter when the contract with Waste Management starts Jan. 1

Carroll Township officials voted this week to renew the township’s trash collection contract with Waste Management, keeping the same manual pickup service in place—but at a higher cost to residents starting next year.

During a meeting last week, township supervisors approved a new contract that sets the quarterly rate at $74.34 beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

That’s an increase of nearly $12 per quarter, or about 19%, over the current rate of $62.70.

The township received multiple bids for the new waste hauling contract on Aug. 28, including one from Pro Waste that initially came in lower than Waste Management’s.

However, Supervisor Chairman Ken Hillman said Pro Waste’s submission had “inconsistencies,” lacked key information and required materials as outlined in the bid specifications. Because of that, the township rejected the bid and moved to the next lowest responsible bidder—Waste Management.

“They didn’t provide the proper information,” Hillman said during the meeting. “That’s part of the requirements for the waste collection bid.”

Both manual and automated collection options were included in the bid package as alternates, but the board ultimately chose to stick with manual pickup—the same type of service residents currently receive.

The motion to approve the manual service contract with Waste Management passed without opposition.

The decision means that residents will continue to set bags or bins at the curb for collection, rather than switching to an automated system involving township- issued carts and specialized trucks.

While pickup days are expected to remain the same in 2026, the contract does require Waste Management to submit a finalized schedule for township approval no later than 14 days before service begins under the new agreement.

Waste Management has served as the township’s waste hauler in recent years.

Township officials did not publicly discuss reasons behind the rate increase beyond citing the bid results.

Residents can expect to see the new rate appear on their waste bills beginning with the first quarter of 2026.