Residents of Douglass Township should expect to receive a survey on trash disposal and recycling in the municipality within the next three weeks.

        Supervisors Chairman Anthony Kuklinski asked the public to look for the survey, which will be printed on a tri-fold pamphlet.

        "This has been a hot item for several years," Kuklinski said during the meeting.

        With the township's current contract with a single trash hauler set to expire on Oct. 1, municipal officials are seeking input from the 10,400 residents, according to Manager Pete Hiryak.  "We want to find out what they like about the current system, and what they don't like,' Hiryak said after Monday's public meeting.

        The four-question survey asks residents how often they recycle, how many orange trash bags they place near the curb each week, if they are satisfied with the township's current system and whether or not they utilize the municipality's recycling center and compost facility.

        "The more feedback we get, the better decisions we will be able to make," said Andy Duncan, the township's solid waste and recycling coordinator, after the meeting.

        Under the current contract, Advanced Disposal, a Pennsylvania company with a collection facility in Norristown, picks up residential trash weekly and recyclables every other week.

        According to Duncan, the current system, which requires residents to purchase special trash bags, works effectively. He said people who generate the most amount of trash, which includes large families, feel a bigger burden.

        "People pay for the services they receive," Duncan said.

        The new contract will likely include an increased cost for residents, according to Duncan. He said the additional expense would probably be required the cover the higher disposal cost.

        According to Hiryak, municipal officials are considering allowing residents to choose their own trash hauler as well as collecting recyclables every week.

        Duncan said the increased collections would simplify the process for residents, while eliminating the infestation of insects and rodents. He added that that while the upfront cost would increase, the municipality would ultimately save money because fewer items would be dumped into a landfill.

        The survey is also available at www.surveymonkey/r/H52FBXV.

        For more information visit www.Douglasstownship.org