TINTON FALLS – A “putrid stench” has residents and municipal officials in Tinton Falls holding their noses as they seek ways to address a strong odor they said is coming from the Monmouth County Reclamation Center in town.
Residents who live near the reclamation center at 6000 Asbury Ave. have said a highly recognizable stench that permeates the air near the landfill disrupts their quality of life.
Residents have said that not only is the odor bothersome, but that the unpleasant scent is embarrassing when company visits. They have asked Tinton Falls officials to take action on the matter immediately.
During the public comment portion of a Borough Council meeting on Jan. 8, resident Gerry Turning, who lives near the reclamation center, said he requested to see all of the complaints about the odor that have been submitted to the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission.
Although numerous complaints from residents have been made on social media, Turning said he only received six documented complaints from 2018 that pertain to the odor. He said he expected to received 50 to 200 documented complaints.
He said he also requested records of phone calls from 2017 and 2018 regarding complaints, but said that did not produce any evidence of complaints.
“The big concern I have is the method we the citizens have to report a complaint,” Turning said. “Reporting a complaint appears to be a useless endeavor because of the protocol (residents) are required to follow.”
He said he believes the majority of complaints about the odor are not formally recorded and therefore cannot be pursued.
“I saw the complaints on social media, too,” Councilman Brock Siebert said. “In December, I went out to take a tour of the reclamation center. I saw a construction process going on that was adding significantly to the putrid stench.
“I got an email this morning saying the project was wrapping up and that should reduce the smell dramatically. It doesn’t take it away. It never will, but hopefully that is some relief to you and your neighbors,” he told Turning.
Resident Paul Abrams said the odor that is present near the site of the reclamation center has an effect on the quality of life of residents in the southern area of Tinton Falls.
“What Mr. Turning brought up to the council are very valid points,” Abrams said.
As the meeting was adjourned, a resident who did not present comments to the council passionately voiced his displeasure with the odor from his seat. The individual suggested that municipal officials close the landfill indefinitely.
In an interview after the meeting, Business Administrator Mike Skudera said the recognizable odor coming from the landfill has been an issue for several years.
Skudera said municipal officials plan to work with the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission to help educate residents about the formal process that is required in order for complaints to be pursued. He said a majority of residents are unaware of the process required to document a complaint.
Skudera said when a resident calls the county to submit a complaint, but does not fill out the required paperwork, which includes basic information about the individual and what his complaint is in reference to, county officials cannot pursue the issue.
Monmouth County officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment concerning the residents’ complaints about odors emanating from the reclamation center.