Palmerton residents will see a significant increase in their garbage rates starting in 2025.

On a unanimous vote, borough council on Thursday awarded a three-year contract to Whitetail Disposal Inc. in the amount of $2,388,759.

Currently, the borough charges $72 a quarter, borough Manager Autumn Canfield said. The new rate will be $119 a quarter, she said.

That comes out to $47 more per quarter, or $188 more a year residents will pay per year.

The contract is for trash pickup and recyclables.

Council’s action came after it tabled bid proposals it received last month for both three- and five-year contracts.

Anthracite Waste Services LLC, $2,454,488, and J.P. Mascaro & Sons, $2,967,012, also turned in three-year bids at that time.

Anthracite Waste Services submitted the apparent low bid of $4,134,800 for a five-year contract, followed by Whitetail Disposal Inc., $4,236,225, and J.P. Mascaro & Sons, $5,226,480. Bids were also received from Waste Management of PA Inc. and Tamaqua Transfer & Recycling Inc.

Councilman Andrew Hollywood noted at that time that the last time the borough changed providers, there were some “wrinkles” that needed to be ironed out.

In August, council agreed to advertise for collection of municipal waste.

The borough is in a five-year contract with its current waste hauler, Waste Management, for trash disposal and recycling that will end this year.

After the meeting, Canfield said the borough’s current five-year contract with Waste Management is set to expire in December.

That contract was for $1,746,990. The current trash rate for the borough is $72 a quarter.