RecyclingMonster - On Monday, May 4, the Northern Tier Solid Waste Authority will open up their sites in Blossburg, Burlington and Wellsboro to the general public for both garbage and recycling following their normal schedule of 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.

Waste customers will be required to present a valid driver’s license, for the new software at the scalehouses. Driver Licenses will be scanned to capture the name and address of the customers. This will decrease contact time with customers. All customers will be required to wear a mask and practice appropriate social distancing with the staff as well as other customers, per Governor Wolf’s orders. The authority also request that customers pay with a debit or credit card to limit the employees contact with cash when possible.

All NTSWA trash routes will continue to run as scheduled. Residents wishing to rent a roll off dumpster for their private cleanup can still do so. Follow the authority Facebook page or visit www.ntswa.org for updates on May municipal spring cleanups as some municipalities have opted to cancel at this time.

The authority will also extend the suspension of its curbside recycling programs until further notice. It is working closely with the recycling drop off locations and will provide service to those who are able and willing to reopen. The authority has worked closely with boroughs where curbside recycling occurs to set up temporary drop off locations. To date, those programs are operating in Canton, Towanda and Elkland borough.

Commercial recycling services will resume May 4. Follow the Facebook page and visit www.ntswa.org for current information as the authority will continue to update them as new information becomes available.

These operational modifications are being made in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Authority is working diligently to continue to make trash and recycling services as accessible as possible, but in a manner that reduces employee risk of exposure.