def #55 04/07/2009

COUNTY TO COLLECT HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE; PROGRAM MARKS 20 YEARS

TOMS RIVER – Since 1989, Ocean County has collected 12.6 million pounds of household hazardous waste from garages, attics, and basements and made sure it has been disposed of properly.

“We are continuing this very successful program this year,” said Freeholder James F. Lacey, who serves as liaison to the county’s Department of Solid Waste Management. “I am very proud that we are marking 20 years of this program with the knowledge that it has been well received by our residents and has made a substantial difference in maintaining the county’s environment.”

The spring household hazardous waste collection program is scheduled to kickoff on Wednesday, April 29 in Manchester Township.

“We will be collecting these materials from our residents at five different locations throughout the county and on six different days including two Saturdays,” noted Lacey. “We encourage residents to take advantage of this free program.”

The collection locations, dates and times are as follows:

Manchester Township Public Works Garage, Route 70, noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 29; Toms River Township Public Works Garage, Church Road, noon to 6 p.m., Friday, May 1, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 2; Berkeley Township Public Works Garage, Pinewald-Keswick Road, noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 6; Brick Township Public Works Garage, 836 Ridge Road, noon to 6 p.m., Friday, May 8; and Stafford Township Public Works Garage, 320 Hay Road, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 9.

The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders is scheduled to award a contract to Clean Venture, Elizabeth, during its April 15 meeting to handle the spring collection and disposal of the household hazardous waste at a price of 44 cents per pound.

Materials accepted at the household hazardous waste collection sites are: paints, thinners, boat paints, solvents, pool chemicals, pesticides and herbicides, aerosol cans, auto products, toilet and drain cleaners, silver polishes, oven cleaners, photographic chemicals, rug and upholstery cleaners, polishes and bleaches, waste oil and used gasoline.

Lacey noted the collection amounts peaked in 1994 when the county collected about 1.3 million pounds of household hazardous waste. The following year, the county collected about 1.2 million pounds of the materials.

He said changes were made to the program in the mid-1990s that included using municipal sites as dropoff locations throughout the county to make the program more convenient. In addition, the county started a registration program to eliminate long lines by scheduling 70 vehicles each hour.

Shortly thereafter, the county implemented a paint management program, which allows residents to get rid of unused paints at a number of recycling sites throughout the county year-round.

“The paint management program also is immensely popular with our residents,” Lacey noted. “Both of these programs keep hazardous materials from entering our natural lands, bays, rivers and waterways.

“It has been a key element in protecting the county’s environment,” Lacey said.

The county continues its focus on removing mercury from the waste stream by continuing to offer residents a mercury thermometer exchange program during the household hazardous waste collections.

“The thermometer exchange program was established to help get mercury out of the waste stream and to raise awareness that mercury is a problem,” Lacey said. “We have handed out several thousand digital thermometers since we started this part of the program a few years ago.”

Residents also can drop off florescent lamps including four, six and eight-foot lamps and compact florescent bulbs.

“We have made every effort to make this program as convenient as possible for our residents,” said Freeholder Director John C. Bartlett Jr., “We are pleased our residents embraced this program in the past and are hopeful they will continue to do so.”

Registration is required and can be made by calling 732-367-0802 for the Brick and Manchester township sites; 732-506-5047 for the Toms River and Berkeley township sites and 609-978-0913 for the Stafford Township disposal site.

“We have more than 2,500 appointments available,” Lacey said. “And, to make disposal easy, our residents can go to any site they choose. They are not limited by geography.”