Town leaves residents with collection options BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer EAST BRUNSWICK - Leaf collection season is beginning, and township officials hope residents comply with laws and regulations. Township Recycling Coordinator Joseph Butrica spoke during Monday's Township Council meeting, saying residents have been mailed the general information about scheduled collection dates, and the information is also on the township Web site and EBTV. Residents have four basic options when it comes to disposing of leaves, he said. They can rake the leaves to the curb for the scheduled pickup date; bag the leaves and leave them at the curb throughout the 10-week pickup period; drop them at the recycling center; or have their contractor drop them off at the compost site, which requires a permit. The township has begun distributing bags for leaf collection, which are free of charge to residents. The township purchased 220,000 bags this year, at the cost of about 2.5 cents each. The hours of pickup for bagged leaves are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Evening hours are available Oct. 18 and 25, and Nov. 1 and 8. Only biodegradable bags can be used, not plastic ones. The collection program runs from October through December. Loose leaf collection begins Nov. 6 for the town's four districts. Butrica stressed that the township needs cooperation from residents in order to make the program work as smoothly and inexpensively as possible. Residents should rake leaves to the curb no earlier than one week prior to the scheduled pickup date, he said, stressing that leaves should not be raked into the street. Leaves should not be closer than 10 feet to a catch basin; children should not play in them; and cars should not be parked on them. Butrica said there is a slight change from last year in terms of curbside pickup dates. The change was needed to help the department first work in areas where leaves fall sooner. Councilwoman Catherine Diem asked him to go over the process for stick and branch collection. Butrica said brush is collected once a month during the third week. Residents must call to schedule an appointment for brush to be picked up, and the brush must be bundled and tied. He said pickup is only done on a schedule basis, though residents can bring brush to the recycling center year-round and without worrying about bundling or tying. The season for brush pickup is March through October. Resident Robert Lennon said branches were picked up from his yard even though he never made an appointment. Diem said that when a large storm causes a lot of branches and sticks to fall, as was the case, "We can assume the municipality is going to react."