Roads and utilities

Trash, recycling and yard waste

Curbside recycling in Bridgewater is provided through Somerset County under a 2026 agreement of up to $477,537.28 ($28.16 per household for up to 16,958 households), approved Feb. 19, 2026, 5-0. The township's yard-waste site is run by a contractor at no cost to the township, and bulky-waste drop-off is held twice a year.

Checked against the primary record on . Every figure on this page is sourced at the foot of the article.

County recycling contract and yard-waste site renewed for 2026 Last moved

What happens next

No trash or recycling ordinance is pending. Councilman Kirsh said on Oct. 1 that the township is reminding residents of the existing rule on when trash cans may be left at the curb. Residents can speak in public comment at any Council meeting.

Recycling. Bridgewater’s curbside recycling is provided by Somerset County under an annual agreement with the Board of County Commissioners. The 2026 agreement, approved Feb. 19, 2026 after being tabled Feb. 5, is not to exceed $477,537.28, a fee of $28.16 for each of up to 16,958 households, paid from accounts dating to 2023–2026. Acting Chief Financial Officer Sarah Housman said leftover state recycling tonnage grants would offset this year’s cost. Councilman Andrew Bucko asked whether a private hauler would cost less; Administrator Michael Pappas said a past survey found no financially viable private option, and Mayor Matthew C. Moench said he would support looking again.

Yard waste and bulky waste. Nature’s Choice NJ, LLC manages and operates the township yard-waste site “at no cost to the Township” under a renewal running Sept. 1, 2026 to Aug. 31, 2027 (Aug. 6, 4-0). Councilman Michael Kirsh reported bulky-trash drop-off days on May 9 and Sept. 19, a service held “twice each year.”

Household garbage. The 2026 Council minutes contain no township contract for household garbage collection; how household trash is collected is not described in the record LocalWhy has reviewed. When a resident asked on Sept. 3 for a rule on trash cans left at the curb, Kirsh replied on Sept. 17 that the township already “has an ordinance regulating when containers may be placed outside” and would start with education.

The explainer has the contracts, the county committee seats and a closed-session litigation item on a trash transfer station.

What residents can do. Check the county’s recycling schedule on the Somerset County recycling page, watch for the township’s bulky-waste dates, and raise service concerns in public comment at a Township Council meeting. Corrections: info@localwhy.org.

Trash and recycling, explained

Explainers

Documents

The township's own records on this issue. Each links to the official copy.

Meetings

  • Township Council — October 15, 2026

    The agenda listed hearings on the Block 520 Lot 17 quitclaim deed and the ordinance ending elected officials' eligibility for township health benefits; the township's resolutions record both adopted, 5-0. Its resolutions also record the introduction, 5-0, of the floodplain ordinance, the $65,600 Block 519 Lot 28 purchase and an amendment to the Greymark redevelopment plan, all set for hearing Nov. 5, and awards for the Country Club Road paving ($793,837.90) and more emergency radio equipment. LocalWhy has not yet reviewed minutes of this meeting.

  • Township Council — October 1, 2026

    The Council adopted #26-16, adding snow emergency no-parking streets, and introduced ordinances releasing expired affordability controls on Block 520 Lot 17 and ending elected officials' eligibility for township health benefits, all 5-0, with hearings October 15. The Director of Municipal Services presented the required replacement floodplain ordinance ahead of FEMA's November 13 maps. A Pilot Fiber agreement was tabled.

  • Township Council — September 17, 2026

    The Council awarded the emergency radio equipment contract to Motorola Solutions, up to $2,950,000, and introduced an ordinance adding streets to the snow emergency no-parking list, all 5-0. It also approved a backhoe purchase, The Clubhouse liquor license transfer, the KM Construction final change order and a one-year extension of the police chief's contract. Ring said his ordinance ending elected officials' health benefits was drafted for October 1.

  • Township Council — September 3, 2026

    After an 11-speaker hearing, the three members present (Bucko, Kirsh and Geiger; Isla and Ring absent) adopted data center ordinance #26-15, 3-0. Planner Sarmad said it does not change where data centers are permitted but sets standards for use-variance applications. The Council also approved a $133,000 housing trust fund grant for a group home at 305 Raymond Court. Vosseller Avenue residents asked for permanent speed measures.

  • Township Council — June 25, 2026

    The Council introduced three bond ordinances for July 9 hearings: $4,205,000 for the county-mandated emergency radio system (5-0), $1,900,000 for road improvements (5-0) and $2,500,000 for drainage (4-1, Kirsh voting no). It adopted the Starbucks traffic ordinance #26-09, renewed 2026–2027 liquor licenses and ratified the Superior Officers' Association contract for 2026–2030.

  • Township Council — April 23, 2026

    With Geiger absent and Bucko presiding, the Council adopted the 2026 cap-bank ordinance #26-06, 4-0, and the multifamily snow-clearing ordinance #26-05, 3-1 with Ring voting no. The police chief reported directed patrols on Vosseller Avenue, and Bucko asked NJDOT to study a stop sign at the Route 22 exit there. Rebecca Melick asked that the farm market at 351 Route 28 be preserved.

  • Township Council — March 5, 2026

    The Council adopted the four Fourth Round affordable housing ordinances, #26-01 to #26-04, each 5-0, ahead of the March 15 deadline, and the housing trust fund spending plan and manuals. It added $350,000 for snow removal (season total up to $560,000) and tabled a multifamily snow-clearing ordinance. Residents asked about immigration enforcement and an emergency-response cost bill.

  • Township Council — February 19, 2026

    The Council introduced four Fourth Round affordable housing ordinances, 5-0, for a March 5 hearing, and approved 5-0 the professional appointments that had failed on February 5. It also named an Acting CFO and approved the Middlebrook pump station engineering contract, the first step toward a grant-funded Garretson Road sidewalk and the County recycling agreement.

  • Township Council — February 5, 2026

    A consent motion on eight professional-appointment resolutions failed 2-3 (Kirsh and Ring for; Bucko, Isla and Geiger against) and was carried to the next meeting. The Council backed Hudson Tunnel funding, approved the 2025 LOSAP list and a $75,000 grant application for Alfred E. Brown Park tennis courts, all 5-0, and tabled the County recycling agreement. Residents raised the Rockland APV battery application and school crosswalk safety.

Sources for this overview

  1. Township Council minutes, Feb. 19, 2026 (county recycling agreement)
  2. Township Council minutes, Aug. 6, 2026 (yard waste site renewal)
  3. Township Council minutes, Sept. 17, 2026 (trash-can placement rule)
  4. Township Council minutes, Oct. 1, 2026 (bulky-waste day; can reminders)
  5. Somerset County recycling page