No Recycling In Moorestown As Truck Driver Shortage Continues

MOORESTOWN, NJ — There will be no recycling pickup in Moorestown this week as the national truck driver shortage continues to have a local impact, officials said Tuesday morning.

According to the Burlington County Recycling Hotline, collection in Burlington County takes place in Mount Laurel and Hainesport on Tuesday and Wednesday, and in Cinnaminson and Palmyra on Wednesday.

Since recycling will not be collected this week, township officials have asked residents not to put their recycling containers at the curb.

Anyone whose town is not listed is advised to check back daily by calling 609-267-6889 or downloading the free Recycle Coach app, which has the most up-to-date information about schedule changes for the 38 towns receiving curbside recycling collection service.

The Recycle Coach app can be downloaded from iTunes or the GooglePlay app stores. For residents without smart phones, a PC/Laptop version is available at www.co.burlington.nj.us/1602/Recycle-Coach. More than 30,000 county residents have downloaded the app.

Residents are also encouraged to make use of the recycling drop-off sites located in their towns. A list of municipal locations is available here.

Last month, multiple recycling truck drivers left the Occupational Training Center of Burlington County for other employment, according to county officials.

This left the nonprofit that collects and sorts the county's recyclables severely shorthanded, county officials said. Read more here: Burlington County Recycling Hit Hard By Truck Driver Shortage

The Occupational Training Center specializes in training and employing individuals with disabilities. It has run the county's recycling program since 1982.

Recycling operations will remain shorthanded for several weeks, while replacement drivers are hired and trained.

It's an issue impacting recycling collection nationwide, as the shortage of recycling drivers is at its highest point in 15 years, according to the Solid Waste Association of North America.

The defection of truck drivers is due to an aging workforce, occupational hazards and increased demand from e-commerce, according to the association.