For trash disposal and recycling within Sussex County, residents can enlist the assistance of a trash pickup company or use the recycling services within their municipality. One of the other options is to bring it themselves to the Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority (SCMUA). The county’s solid waste and recycling facility is available to residents and commercial entities to safely dispose of trash and recyclables.
SCMUA is located at 34 Route 94 in Lafayette, and open Mondays through Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., excluding the utility’s holiday schedule.
The facility is comprised of a solid waste complex that is conveniently sectioned off and organized with color-coded directional arrows indicating how to proceed to each area. For example, a blue arrow on SCMUA’s signage and driving lane provides the way to head to the convenience center for trash disposal. The green arrows point toward the recycling center. There are orange arrows for leaf/grass/brush disposal and black ones that show where mulch pickup is located.
When bringing bagged household garbage or individual items totaling 65 pounds and under, county residents should proceed through the complex without stopping at the main scale house at SCMUA’s entrance and follow the blue arrows to the convenience center. It is in the bagged garbage lane where one of SCMUA’s helpful employees removes trash from residents’ vehicles and weighs the bags on the convenience center scales. Residents pay based on weight, either with cash or check, before exiting the bagged garbage area of the convenience center.
For garbage exceeding 65 pounds, residents or businesses should pass through the main scale house near the entrance to obtain a hang tag, before arriving to the convenience center. There is a separate area for contractors to dispose of their items. The convenience center where the roll-off containers are located, is where bulk trash, including larger items like mattresses, are disposed. SCMUA staff directs drivers to the appropriate container and can assist with removing items from their vehicles. Once finished, drivers need to return to the main scale house for payment, by cash, check, or credit card. For a complete list of items, how to dispose of them, and costs for each type, click here.
County residents and even commercial haulers can take grass clippings, leaves, brush, and stumps to SCMUA. All should proceed to the main scale area and will need to pay for anything over the minimum load (less than two barrels or bags). The SCMUA website has full information here about vegetative waste disposal and how each type must be separated. There is also loose regular and colored mulch available for purchase.
While municipalities throughout Sussex County have their own free recycling programs, processes, and schedules for their residents, county residents can additionally bring recycling themselves to SCMUA, for no cost. SCMUA’s recycling center is well organized to show where residents drop their items within the recycling center, such as where to place mixed recyclables, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, paper, and other items. For complete information about what must be recycled and what cannot be, click here.
SCMUA also offers free special disposal events during the year, with details about each available here. Among them are events for electronics recycling (computers, fax machines, televisions, and more) and hazardous waste (disposal of 100 pounds or 10 gallons). There are also monthly paper shredding events, currently on the third Friday of each month, with details about fees and more here.
Have questions about various aspects of recycling and solid waste disposal? The SCMUA website is filled with information about different topics relating to both.
For more information about SCMUA, all the services available, and upcoming events, visit SCMUA’s website.
Members of Life In Sussex staff have contributed to this post.
