Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, acting on a proposal from Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. at an Oct. 24 special meeting, voted unanimously to spend $418,880 for 8,500 refuse carts for property owners.

Good news for property owners: The rolling carts, also known as toters, won’t cost residents any money.

More good news: Garbage bills in 2017 will be lowered. The $330 refuse bill property owners are now paying will drop to $300 in 2017.

As was the case when the township bought the single-stream recycling toters last year and distributed them free to the 8,000-plus property owners, the same scenario is in place for these new garbage containers, which will be maroon in color.

Shaeffer Systems International Inc., of Charlotte, N.C., was given the contract for the garbage toters, judged by the township staff in meeting the “request for proposal specifications” and providing the most economical response to the township’s needs.

The mayor earlier thought the new toters would arrive for delivery to property owners before the year ends but now believes a 2017 delivery is more likely.

Residents in age-restricted communities will be provided a 65-gallon cart.

Residents who want a second cart must pay a deposit and will pay a $330 annual refuse bill.

Hozza said, once the new maroon carts are delivered to residences, Waste Management will not pick up refuse from other type of containers.

According to Hozza, the ability to begin this program was derived from a switch in contract from JP Mascaro & Sons to Waste Management. The contract is for five years.

The Waste Management contract will be in its third year in 2017.

In the first year of the contract, 2015, Whitehall Township saved $500,000 on landfill charges.

In 2016, the township used the $500,000 savings from 2015 to purchase the recycling toters and launch that program. That same year, the township saved an additional $500,000 on landfill charges.

Whitehall Township used that $500,000 to buy the refuse toters and launch that program.

Hozza said township officials took the lead from Palmer Township, which helped guide them through the single-stream process and grant funding.