RECYCLINGPLANELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION

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1 RECYCLINGPLANELEMENT A. INTRODUCTION The Recycling Plan Element sets frth the gals and plicies fr Neptune t fulfill its scial and statutry respnsibilities t minimize slid waste and t maximjze the reuse f reusable and renewable resurces. This element als has the pu{pse f crdinating Twnship plicies in this regard with thse f the Cunty and State. The New Jersey Surce Separatin and Recycling Act adpted in 1987 and the Municipal Land Use Law require that municipal master plans include a Recycling Plan Element. In additin, specific tasks are delegated t cunties and municipalities in rder t achieve the State Recycling Plan gals. Slid Waste dispsal and recycling in New Jersey is regulated by the New Jersey Department f Envirnmental Prtectin under N.J.A.C. 7:26 pursuant t the New Jersey Slid Waste Management Act N.J.S.A. 13:1E-l et. seq. The New Jersey Slid Waste Management Act and the subsequent regulatins prvide a cmprehensive system fr management f slid waste in New Jersey. The act designated all 21 Cunties and the Hackensack Meadwlands District as Slid Waste Management Districts and mandated the Bards f Chsen Freehlders in each f the Cunties t develp cmprehensive plans fr waste management in their district. In 2009, the Mnmuth Cunty District Slid Waste Management Plan was amended. This dcument serves as an inventry, appraisal and plicy dcument guiding waste management activities within the Cunty. The amended dcument underscres increased recycling effrts, prmtes increased capacity in the Cunty, prmtes increased educatin t emphasize better persnal and cmmunity invlvement in the recycling prcess and describes wrk twards changes in lcal rdinances and arrangements t imprve recycling services.

2 B. RECYCLING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES i. Prmte recycling t reduce the slid waste stream and increase the reuse f natural resufces. 2. Prvide a recycling prgram that fulfills State recycling requirements. 3. Prvide a high-quality recycling prgram that benefits the residents f Neptune Twnship. 4. Encurage the reductin in the amunt f slid waste that Neptune sends t landfills, t the greatest extent practicable, while at the same time furthering the gal f maximizing the amunt f recycied materials cllected frm residential and nn-residential prperties. 5. Encurage existing cmmercial and industrial uses t recycle and supprt the develpment f "green" industries that incrprate recycling int the prductin pr cess. 6. Cntinue t increase recycling awareness thrugh cmmunity utreach. 7. Maintain the efficient, user-friendly drp-ff prcess at the Twnship's Recycling Center. 8. Curb illegal dumping activities at the recycling center as well as thrughut the Twnship. 9. Encurage the prvisin f mre effective access mnitring and restrictins t better cntrl nn-residential and unauthrized use f the center. 10. Prmte an increased demand fr recyclable materials and recycled prducts. 11. Cntinue t maximize the verall efficiency f the recycling infrastructure. 12.Encurage recycling-related jb develpment in the cllectin, prcessing and manufacturing sectrs. 13. Cntinue t investigate areas fr beneficial reuse f leaves and ther prducts cllected by the Twnship.

3 C. NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP RECYLING PROGRAM Neptune Twnship is cmmitted t the implementatin f an effective municipal slid waste management prgram emphasizing surce separatin and recycling in a cnvenient and cst effective manner, maximizing recycling and minimizing the amunt f slid waste dispsal, in cmpliance with current State and Cunty recycling mandates. The Twnship is actively invlved with utreach effrts t generatrs, bth residents and businesses and institutins, f recycling requirements and pprtunities. This includes the Twnship website, which psts an annual recycling calendar. The Twnship als cmpletes and submits an annual recycling tnnage reprt t the State Department f Envirnmental Prtectin and the Cunty. ResidentialandNn-ResidentialRecycling Residential and cmmercial recycling is prvided by the Twnship. Certain cmmercial generatrs in the Twnship cntract with private haulers directly fr the remvai f their recycling waste, but they are required t submit tnnage reprts t the Twnship t ensure that recycling is tracked, Residential and cmmercial recycling is accmplished by pick-up nce each week by the Twnship. Hmewners may als bring varius recyclable materials t the Recycling Center lcated at the westernmst entrance t the Twnship's Public Wrks facility at 2201 Heck Avenue in the Twnship. Lse leaf yard waste is picked up curbside, every ther week by the Department f Public Wrks.

4 The fllwing mandated recyclable materials are cllected at residences: Newspaper tied int bundles; Cardbard tied int bundles; Aluminum & tin cans; Glass; Plastic fd and laundry cntainers placed in pails. In additin t the abve, Twnship residents and businesses can drp ff recyclable materials at the Twnship Recycling Center, which perates Mnday thrugh Sunday. The fllwing mandated recyclable materials are accepted at the Recycling Center, in additin t the cllected materials nted abve: Cmmingled: purable plastics, glass bttles & aluminum cans; Mixed paper; Brush & Branches; Cncrete (2x2x2 Cmbined); e Electrnics;. Telephne bks;. Old Clthing (AMVETS); Newspaper; r r Yard waste; Fren prducts (applicable fee); Cardbard; Metal; Tires (applicable fee); Husehld grease (by appintment); r Latex paint. As indicated abve, the Twnship mnitrs, tracks and summarizes the annual tnnage rates cllected in the Twnship and submits this infrmatin t the NJDEP and Mnmuth Cunty n

5 an annual basis. Table I Annual Tnnage belw, charts the residential and cmmercial annual tnnages cllected in the Twnship frm2005 thrugh 2010: Table Nl: Neptune Twnship Annual Tnnages Year Tnnage 200s 67, , s , , , Ttal 227, D. RECYCLING ORDINANCE Neptune Twnship has adpted several rdinances t advance the Twnship's recycling and waste management gals, including a Recycling and Slid Waste Dispsal Ordinance. The Twnship Recycling Ordinance identifies plicies and prcedures fr residential and nnresidential recycling dispsal and management, as well as the management f brush and ieaves. The Ordinance further identifies a slid waste cllectin schedule and assciated plicies and prcedures. The Ordinance als sets frth fees and csts fr cllectins as well as a series f fees fr nncmpliance. E. MUNICIPAL RECYCLING COORDINATOR The Twnship Cmmittee appinted a Municipal Recycling Crdinatr selected frm Public Wrks persnnel. The Municipal Recycling Crdinatr acts as a liaisn with Mnmuth Cunty and New Jersey Slid Waste Officials, maintains recrds, perfrms the annual Tnnage Grant applicatin prcess, prepares repfis as required by State and Cunty agencies, as well as

6 the Municipal Gverning Bdy, regarding lcal slid waste and recycling prgrams. In additin t these duties, the Municipal Recycling Crdinatr reviews perfrmance f lcal schls and municipal agencies in cnducting recycling activities and peridically reviews lcal residential and business recycling practices and cmpliance F. ENFORCEMENT The Twnship enfrces its recycling prgram thrugh jint effrts f the Recycling Crdinatr and the Twnship Clerk. In additin, the Recycling Ordinance can be enfrced in Municipal Curt upn a cmplaint signed by a member f the Mnmuth Cunty Slid Waste Enfrcement Team, a designated representative f the Mnmuth Cunty Bard f Health, the Municipal Recycling Crdinatr, the Public Wrks Department, the Cde Enfrcement Department, r the Plice Department f the Twnship f Neptune. Vilatrs are subject t warnings, fines and curt actin andlr shall be prcessed as a lien against the prperty in questin. Residents are encuraged t reprt dumping and ther vilatins. G. RECOMMENDATIONS Recycling nt nly saves tax dllars, it als prmtes efficient re-use f pst cnsumer wastes and can play a significant rle in easing the demand fr landfill capacity. One area that deserves greater attentin and emphasis is the prmtin f recycling in the Twnship's ffrce, institutinal and cmmercial land uses. As recycling is mandatry in the Twnship, this recmmendatin relies mre heavily n educatin and utreach. The Twnship shuld increase the recycling awareness thrughut the municipality thrugh schl prgrams, utreach and increased recycling cntainers in high traffic areas such as business districts. Currently, the Twnship web site has clearly psted infrmatin, in a calendar frmat, which illustrates the varius cllectin times and schedule fr each material, as well as indicated the drp-ff center lcatin and hws f peratin. This is an excellent start and prvides very useful and necessary infrmatin; hwever, the Twnship culd g further in its utreach effrts, particularly t the business cmmunity.

7 The Twnship shuld als cnsider requiring each applicatin fr a nnresidential use in excess f 1,000 square feet t include prvisins fr the cllectin, dispsitin and recycling f recyclable materials, as required by the Statewide Mandatry Surce Separatin and Recycling Act. Each applicatin fr nn-residential use which utilizes 1,000 square feet r mre f land, must include prvisins fr the cllectin f recyclable materials. Each applicatin shall quantifi' the amunt f recyclable material that will be generated as part f its weekly peratin including newspapers, glass bi-metal, and aluminum. The appiicant shall prvide a strage area designed t cntain a ne week accumulatin f recyclable materials. The strage area shall be designed fr truck access fr pick-up f materials and shall be suitably screened frm view if lcated utside the building. Presently, there is nt such a prvisin in the Twnship Cde. In additin, it is recmmended that builders/develpers seeking a certifrcate f ccupancy shuld be required t prvide receipts demnstrating that cnstructin waste materials, debris and tree stumps have been recycled. As a way f implementing the abve recmmendatins and lessening the cst f expanding the current prgram, it is recmmended that grants be sught thrugh the Clean Cmmunities Prgram. New Jersey Clean Cmmunities is a statewide litter-abatement prgram created by the passage f the Clean Cmmunities Act. The prgram is managed by the New Jersey Department f Envirnmental Prtectin, Department f Treasury, and Clean Cmmunities Cuncil. It's supprted by lcal gvernments, businesses, cmmunity rganizatins, schls and individuals wh wrk tgether t keep New Jersey clean. The Clean Cmmunities Act, passed first in 1986 and later in 2002, establishes a funding mechanism fr the prgrarn by placing a user-fee n manufacturers, whlesalers and distributrs wh may prduce litter-generating prducts. The user-fee, cllected by the Department f Treasury and disbursed by the Department f Envirnment Prtectin, generates apprximately $14 millin each year. The Twnship's successful recycling prgram will cntinue t grw in imprtance as the cst f slid waste dispsal increases.