Lehighton Borough Council discussed several amendments to its garbage ordinance last week.

Council on a 5-1 vote in November awarded a three-year contract to Tamaqua Transfer and Recycling in the amount of $1,435,800 from 2021-23. The company had previously been the borough’s trash hauler.

The new garbage contract with Tamaqua Transfer went into effect Jan. 10.

The borough’s five-year garbage contract with County Waste LLC expired at the end of last year.

Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky complimented Tamaqua Transfer and Recycling.

“I think Tamaqua Transfer has been really good,” Abelovsky said.

The amendments to the ordinance include:

• All garbage and rubbish shall be placed in the automated collection toter containers (“container”) provided by the borough for that purpose. This container should be and remain the property of Lehighton Borough and/or the garbage hauler contracted by the borough and should stay with the dwelling unit it was designed to, regardless of resale, rental or other conditions.

• Each container should be placed for collection at the curbside in a location accessible to the Automated Garbage Collection Truck. The container should be placed for collection on the collection dates designated by the borough.

• Bulk materials that are not recyclable such as small furniture and other bulky household items that are too large to be disposed of in the automated collection cart should be collected at the curb.

• Mattresses, box springs and upholstered furniture that are placed curbside for collection should be wrapped in plastic or places in disposable plastic bags. Plastic wrapping or plastic bags must be sufficient to cover all exposed areas of the mattress, box spring and/or furniture. The plastic wrapping and/or the disposable plastic bags are required to avoid, to the greatest extent possible, collection personnel coming into contact with infested materials.

• People should separate tree branches and shrubs from other refuse. Tree branches and shrubs should be cut so that no tree branch exceeds 3 feet in length, and all shrubs should be cut so that no shrub exceeds 3 feet in height. Everyone should deposit tree branches and shrubs in the dumpster at the Public Works Building during those months of the year when the dumpster for such branches and shrubs is available. The dumpster will be clearly marked and/or designated for tree branches and shrubs. During those months when the dumpster is not available, people wishing to dispose of tree branches, shrubs and yard waste may bundle or bag them. Each bag or bundle should be less than 35 pounds. People may place up to five bags of yard waste or bundles of tree branches or shrubs (not five of each) to be collected by the garbage hauler contracted by the borough.

• Residents can utilize tree branches and shrubs which are ground for compost, mulch or other agricultural, horticultural, gardening or landscape purposes.

Council could approve the amendments to the garbage ordinance when it meets at 7 p.m. March 1.