MIDDLETOWN — The township is launching a new awareness program to challenge residents to reduce their carbon footprint and save tax dollars.
The goal of Recycle2$ave is to increase township-wide recycling of paper products including cardboard, junk mail, magazines, office paper and newsprint from 1,950 tons last year to 2,010 tons this year, Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger said in a press release.
A concerted effort by all residents to recycle more will help reduce the community’s carbon footprint, decrease pollution and conserve energy. By recycling more, less waste will be sent to the landfill, saving the township money on the tipping fees charged to dispose of the material, he noted, adding that the value of recycling is increased by the revenue generated from the sale of the recyclables collected.
The 2010 Recycle2$ave goal dovetails with new state and county regulations requiring mandatory residential recycling of cardboard and mixed paper in addition to bottles, cans and newsprint, according to the press release.
Mixed paper includes magazines, catalogs, brown paper bags, writing or office paper, envelopes with or without windows, advertising mail brochures, school composition paper, construction paper, facsimile (fax) paper, photocopy paper, mimeograph paper, coupon inserts, carbonless copy paper, non-metallic wrapping paper, and real estate listing paper. Paper products will be picked up on the second collection of each month.
Recyclables can be co-mingled in a 32- gallon container with a secured lid and a maximum weight of 50 pounds. Newsprint and cardboard can also be tied in bundles.
Progress reports and expanded recycling information will be added to the township website and television station.
According to the press release, Recycle2$ave is the latest addition to the mayor’s green initiative, a cache of ecofriendly projects and programs aimed at helping Middletown live greener, conserve energy and reduce dependency on foreign oil.
Other projects undertaken since the initiative began in 2007 include energy audits at township buildings; Buy Middletown, an awareness campaign that encourages residents to shop local; a biofuel pilot program that utilizes used vegetable oil to fuel township vehicles; installation of energy-efficient light bulbs in township buildings; and Dock and Roll, a free community shuttle service.
The program will also further efforts to earn certification in the Sustainable New Jersey program, an incentive program for municipalities that want to go green, save money and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term.