Big’s Sanitation will continue to be the refuse hauler in Charleroi through 2025. Charleroi Borough Council recently put the service out for bid, though only one company — the borough’s current refuse hauler, Big’s Sanitation — submitted an offer for the service.

Big’s has handled refuse service in the borough since 2017 and has extended that service through option years until the current recently expired.

Borough Manager Matt Stanisewski said he believes the option years expired last month, which is why council advertised for bids.

Big’s had already agreed to continue refuse collection in the borough through the end of the year to avoid a disruption of service for residents before council agreed to put the service out for bid.

On Wednesday, council opened sealed bids for the service starting Jan. 1, 2023. Big’s was the only company to submit a proposal.

Before council opened bids or discussed the matter, a resident spoke about complaints regarding Big’s Sanitation concerning bills for his business, which is no longer open.

The man, who was not identified, told council he was instructed by the company to talk to the borough about his commercial garbage payments.

However, the borough only collects residential bills. It

CHARLEROI • A7 FROM A1 leaves commercial collection up to businesses in the borough as long as they pay for a dumpster fee, if it sits along a street and not on private property. Council advised the resident that it’s a civil matter and there’s not much the borough can do. Council had received complaints regarding Big’s service in the past, but issues have been addressed as they were brought forward. Regardless, unless council opts to reopen the bid package and readvertise, Big’s is the only option. Big’s will continue to handle trash service in Charleroi through the remainder of the year at the current rate, with a small surcharge for fuel. Rates will increase starting Jan. 1. The contract structure, which will run through 2025, will be $19.75 per unit per month for the first year and $19.85 per unit per month for the second and third years. An additional fourth year option will charge $20 per unit per month. Those numbers will slightly increase for residents after the borough factors in its costs for administration and billing, but the final costs for residents have not been calculated. Council briefly discussed rebidding the service, but realized the proposed rate would have likely increased if it were denied and rebid. Members of council said they were prepared for an increase regardless of the hauler because of inflation. “This bid will go up if it is resubmitted,” Stanisewski said. “So we are basically being held hostage,” Councilman Randy DiPiazza said. “We reached out, advertised to various outlets, and this is the only bid that was submitted,” Staniszewski responded. Councilman Larry Celaschi thought the prices would be higher than what was submitted. “I fully expected it (the bid) to be a lot worse,” Celaschi said. Council unanimously accepted the bid from Big’s, but stressed that the contract will only be in place for residential properties. Commercial units or businesses are permitted to choose whomever they would like for commercial collection.