Come the New Year (2008), Ocean County residents will no longer have to tie or bundle newspapers, junk mail and magazines for recycling. Instead, it can all go in one bin. “These changes will certainly make our recycling program, under the direction of Freeholder Jim Lacey, much easier for our residents,” said Freeholder Director John P. Kelly.

Lacey today joined with members of the Ocean County Solid Waste Management Department and the Solid Waste Advisory Council in kicking off a new campaign focused on informing residents of the upcoming recycling changes.

“Starting in the New Year, the paper stream will go into one container with a lid and be placed at the curb for pickup,” Lacey said. “It is very similar to what we already do with our bottles and cans.”

Under the changes, towns that use private recycling collectors will begin the new collection on Jan. 2 and those towns that have public works departments collecting recyclables will begin in early February.

“We recommend residents contact their municipal recycling coordinators to find out when these changes will come to their town and if there is anything in particular the town is recommending in order to implement these changes,” Lacey said. “The purpose of making the change is to make recycling of these items more convenient which in turn should boost the county’s recycling efforts.”

The items that will go into the bin are junk mail, cardboard, newspapers with inserts, magazines, computer paper, office papers, empty brown paper bags and school papers.

“Instead of tying, bundling and bagging these items separately for curb pickup, we can now toss them into one container,” Lacey said. “That will be easier than what we currently do.”

Items that should be excluded are cereal and pizza boxes, plastic bags, paper plates, and trash. Telephone books should be recycled separately. Cardboard should be broken down to fit the container.

“Our residents who do not recycle have to realize that recycling has economic and environmental benefits that are good for all of us,” Lacey said. “I am hopeful these changes will be embraced by those who already recycle and will help to encourage participation from those who do not.”

Based on a waste composition study completed in August 2007, each Ocean County household throws out about 20 percent of the paper stream with the regular trash including four percent of the newsprint and cardboard and 12 percent of mixed paper. “We are making this change to the way recyclables are placed at the curb to encourage greater participation in recycling,” Lacey said. “Many of our residents consider recycling second nature and we appreciate their efforts.”

“We believe the change will also make collection of the paper stream easier for most municipalities,” he said.

As part of the All in One Bin campaign, Ocean County will provide municipalities with posters outlining the changes in addition to providing flyers to residents through the County Connection at the Ocean County Mall, Toms River, and other information outlets.

“We will use our website, newspapers and radio also to get the word out,” Lacey said. “Recycling really does help our environment. Ocean County is helping by making it convenient.”

In addition, Lacey noted that all materials recycled in the county whether it is paper or cans and bottles results in a return of revenue to the municipality.

For every ton recycled, the municipality saves $69.70 in disposal fees and generates $17.28 in recycling revenue or an $87 per ton benefit,” Lacey said. “With changes in the economic climate this return will be even more helpful to the municipalities.”

Since it began the Recycling Revenue Sharing program, Ocean County has returned about $7.5 million to its participating municipalities.

For additional information on the changes to paper stream recycling call 732-506-5047 or visit the county’s website at co.ocean.nj.us and check the Ocean County Updates for more information.

“We will do all we can to get the word out,” Lacey said. “Now we ask that our residents do all they can to help us make this work.”

(Ocean County / YW News Desk)