Sharon residents may have to wait awhile to get their new trash toters and recycling bins.

Mayor David O. Ryan said he wants to let residents know that Tri-County Industries, Pine Township, will take over trash collection Feb. 1 and it may take a few more weeks to distribute all of the toters and recycling bins. "They can't put out 3,500 toters on one day," he said.

Residents who haven't received a new toter by Feb. 1 should bag their trash, but not in Waste Management bags; Ryan said. Trash in Waste Management bags won't be collected.

Tri-County trash bags are in stores now.

Residents who still have Waste Management bags are asked to call the company to see about getting a refund, the mayor said.

Jerry Bowser, general manager of Tri-County, said residents should stop using Waste Management carts as of Feb. 1.

"We're hoping to have everything delivered within a month," Bowser said. He said residents should call Tri-County for toters and carts, and they will be delivered as soon as possible.

Mercer County Solid Waste Authority is distributing the recycling bins, and that will take four to six weeks. Until residents receive new bins, they can put recyclables into any kind of open container -- except Waste Management bins -- where the trash collector can see that it contains recyclables, Ryan said.