Weekly Report from Mayor John L. Madden
Recycling Services
This week’s report is on our recycling services and issues that our partner, Middlesex County Improvement Authority, is having with Borough recycling. During these turbulent times where municipalities statewide are seeing their recycling disposal costs double or even triple in cost, we are receiving the benefit of a shared service that has kept our recyclable disposal cost lower than many municipalities throughout the state. Through MCIA’s buying power, we have been fortunate to be able to contract with them. In 2019, the Borough put out a Request for Proposals for recycling services and the lowest bid that came in was more than $100,000.00 than MCIA’s rate to our town.
Middlesex County has the highest rate of recycling in the State and, by pooling our resources, MCIA is are able to pass the savings in our recycling disposal costs to our taxpayers. This benefit exists as long as our residents continue to follow the guidelines on proper recycling and understand what is and is not acceptable to be recycled. Unfortunately, it has been brought to my attention from MCIA enforcement officers that Middlesex Borough has experienced an increase in recycling “contamination”.
To better understand recycling guidelines, I encourage everyone to review this guide on the County website.
The 2020 Recycling & Curbside Collection Guide
In the 2020 Recycling & Curbside Collection Guide you will learn valuable information on how to smartly recycle and what can and cannot be accepted. THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE WITH CONTAMINATION IS PLASTIC BAGS ARE NOT ACCEPTED. Additionally, pizza boxes and shredded paper are not recyclable! I know that that is counter-intuitive – pizza boxes are made of cardboard and shredded paper is paper – but the fact remains that plastic bags, pizza boxes and shredded paper “contaminate” the rest of the recycling and costs MCIA money to have them removed.
The Borough has been put on notice by MCIA, that, if in the coming weeks, your recycling is contaminated, THE HAULER WILL BE UNABLE TO ACCEPT YOUR MATERIALS AND THEY WILL BE LEFT CURBSIDE FOR YOU TO SORT.
In closing, I wanted to ask all our residents to please take the time to understand how to properly sort and dispose of your recyclable materials. Everyone must do their part for this program to remain affordable and successful. We must be vigilant and continue to improve the quality of our recyclables. Thank you for your time and understanding.
Be safe and be well,
Mayor John L. Madden
