An automated recycling can from Brick Township, N.J. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
Brick Township’s recycling rate has made a significant jump for the third year in a row, jumping to 78 percent from levels in the 40 percent range just three years ago before automated recycling was introduced.
Councilman Jim Fozman said with residents now recycling at a very high rate, the township’s recycling coordinator has begun to focus on the business community. Out of the township’s approximately 715 businesses, 144 have received a visit from the recycling coordinator, and 36 of them are now utilizing “single stream” recycling, which cuts down on the number of dumpsters they must use.
“That leaves 571 businesses to go,” Fozman said.
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The remainder of businesses are being visited by supervisors and the township is sending out mailers encouraging more recycling.
Officials encourage recycling not only for its environmental value, but to help reduce the amount of property taxes which go toward so-called “tipping fees” at the county landfill. The township does not pay per-ton fees to dispose of recycled material as it does with regular refuse – the township, on the contrary, is paid to dispose of recycled materials. The more residents recycle, the fewer tons of trash generate fees for taxpayers.
So far this year, 44 tons of rigid plastic has been picked up by the township under its plastic pickup program, and 78 residents participated in an event at the recycling center on Ridge Road where construction debris was accepted for one day.
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