def #135 07/14/10
COUNTY SEEKS STATE FUNDS FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION
TOMS RIVER – After putting its household hazardous waste collection program on hiatus earlier this year, Ocean County
is looking to tap into the State Recycling Enhancement Act Tax Fund to cover the cost to run the program this fall.
“Earlier this year we reduced the 2010 Ocean County budget by $10 million,” said Freeholder Director James F.
Lacey, who serves as liaison to the county’s recycling programs. “When you have less money to work with you have to make
some cuts and one of those areas was the household hazardous waste spring collection.”
Lacey noted that Ocean County is expecting $640,000 from the state’s Solid Waste Services Tax Grant and, while
much of the funding from the 2010 Recycling Enhancement Act Entitlement Program is earmarked for recycling and solid
waste inspection programs, outreach and also the purchase of a windrow turner, the county hopes to use $100,000 to conduct
a fall household hazardous waste collection program.
“Traditionally we have held the collection twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall,” Lacey noted.
“However with a reduction in county funds coupled with a decrease in the number of people accessing the program, we put
the 2010 spring collection on hold. The enhancement act funds will allow us to hold a fall household hazardous waste
collection program which will run over four or five days.”
Lacey said dates for the fall collection program will be announced when the state Department of Environmental
Protection confirms the county will receive the $640,000.
“This money comes from a $3 per ton tax charged at the landfill,” Lacey said. “Other counties use this money for hazardous
waste collections. In order to hold the program this fall, we are hoping to do the same.”
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.
Household hazardous waste collection peaked in 2000, with more than 800,000 pounds of materials collected. Last
year, the program resulted in a total of 370,000 pounds delivered to drop off sites during the fall and spring
collections.
Lacey noted that residents have the opportunity to drop-off used paint for recycling year-round at 10 different
recycling centers throughout the county.
Residents can access the Ocean County Paint Management Program six days a week by visiting the recycling centers in the
following municipalities: Brick Township, Berkeley Township, Little Egg Harbor Township, Point Pleasant Beach, Toms River
and Lacey townships, along with the county's Northern Recycling Center in Lakewood and the Southern Recycling Center in
Stafford. Paint is collected Monday through Fridays at the public works garages in Seaside Park and Tuckerton.
“Residents can bring in up to 20 cans of latex, oil based and boat paint per visit,” Lacey said. “The paint
management program has been well received by our residents.”
In 2009, the county collected and properly recycled 950,000 pounds of old paint.
