MONROE – Monroe will compact all its recycling information into one, easy-to-use recycling application.
The township will debut its Recycle Coach app, available for download on smartphones and tablets through the App Store and Google Play, via social media on April 22, which is Earth Day.
“We’re anticipating that the app will improve the ease and rate at which our community recycles,” Monroe Mayor Gerald W. Tamburro said in a prepared statement. “We are proud to join the few but growing number of municipalities in Middlesex County and across the state that provide this service to their residents. It’s incredibly user-friendly and best of all, free to the public.”
Some features include an extended calendar, reminders for collections and special events, a search bar outlining the means for recycling or disposal, a page of auxiliary resources, a reporting tool for missed pick up, and container replacement.
“Technology is really at the forefront of everything these days,” Monroe Township Council President Stephen Dalina said in the statement. “Smartphones and tablets are a staple in most homes and the vast majority of Americans are consuming their information through these devices. We believe the best method to reach and encourage recycling among the maximum number of people is to equip our residents with the information that they need right at the touch of a screen.”
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will cover the cost of the app, roughly $4,000 annually, for 2018 and potentially, into subsequent years. If the DEP forgoes renewal of the program in the coming years, Monroe will absorb the expense by tapping into its yearly recycling tonnage grant, which amounted to approximately $171,000 this past year – the eighth largest award in the state – according to the statement.
Many of the app’s features will also be available on the homepage of www.monroetwp.com and through Amazon Alexa and Action for Google Assistant using “Recycle Coach Skill.”
For more information, contact Monroe Township’s Recycling Coordinator Joe Slomian at 732-656-4575.