Middlesex County has been named the top recycling county in New Jersey, according to the latest data from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
With a recycling rate of 62.3 percent, Middlesex County ranked No. 1 among the 21 counties for a third time since 1995, the first year data was compiled. The data also marks the ninth time since 1995 that Middlesex County has met or exceeded the state’s 60 percent recycling goal. No other county has achieved this record, county officials noted.
“My freeholder colleagues and I are exceptionally proud of this achievement,” said Middlesex County Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel. “It is an achievement that could only have been met through the cooperation of our residents, our municipalities and the hard work and successful programs of the Division of Solid Waste Management, the Middlesex County Improvement Authority, the Middlesex County Utilities Authority and the County Public Health Department.”
Freeholder Camille Fernicola, who chairs the committee that oversees the Division of Solid Waste Management, said the county’s recycling programs help to conserve energy, preserve natural resources and, by keeping more waste out of the landfill, save money and lengthen the life of the landfill.
The data released by the DEP last week represents totals for 2005, the latest year for which data is available. Of the 2,515,806 tons of waste generated in Middlesex County that year, 1,567,684 tons, or 62.3 percent, was recycled.
The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) operates the curbside recycling collection program in 16 municipalities throughout the county. In 2005, more than 30,140 tons of material, such as glass, plastic, aluminum, cardboard and newspaper, were collected from more than 97,000 single-family homes, multifamily units and small businesses.
The MCIA also operates a yard waste recycling program, which generated more than 40,000 tons of leaves, brush and grass in 2005, and promotes grass-cycling, which asks homeowners to cut grass and leave it where it falls instead of collecting it and throwing it into the waste stream.
The county Division of Solid Waste Management conducts collection events for paint, household batteries, used tires, consumer electronics such as televisions, computers and VCRs, and for household hazardous waste such as motor oil and antifreeze.
The county also has sponsored a number of paper-shredding events for residents to shred financial and other personal papers before discarding them. Since July 2005, 131,047 pounds of paper have been shredded and recycled as part of the county events, according to the county.
Both offices conduct recycling education programs, and the MCIA’s recycling education robot, MC Blue, has entertained more than 135,000 residents since 1995. The Solid Waste Division and the MCIA are sponsoring programs with local school districts to recycle outdated hardcover and softcover books that can no longer be used, sold or given away.
“Our Division of Solid Waste Management and the MCIA are to be commended for their innovative recycling programs and their effective educational outreach,” Fernicola said. “By educating and involving residents of all ages, the county keeps a sharp focus on recycling, leading to high recycling rates and a cleaner environment.”