Spring 2004 Edition

Recycling Complaints and Responses    A Fair Lawn News reader recently complained about Fair Lawn's recycling rules.  "I have tried very hard to understand the recycling rules and regulations.   I am going nuts from the weekly ceremony."  Fair Lawn News asked Ron Lottermann, the borough's Recycling Coordinator, to help respond to her complaints.     Complaint:  Boy, am I sick and tired of this recycling crap.  Do I put the wrapping paper with the newspaper and do I put the cake tin with the cat can. It is a big decision. And always hanging over my head is the threat of a fine from the gang in the town hall. I say let us go back to the old way when garbage was really garbage. Until then, the whole situation smells.   Response:  Most recyclables bring extra revenue to the Borough of Fair Lawn. Recyclables are like any other commodity on the open market. Their prices fluctuate according to demand. Some recyclables will never bring in revenue but they allow us to avoid costs.    The demand for recyclables is directly related to the number of people who purchase recycled products. The more recycled products that are purchased, the greater the demand for recyclables.   In 2003, the Borough received a net total of $55,620 from the sale of recyclables (minus the cost for dumping yard waste). This revenue will be increasing substantially in 2004 because our new paper recycling contract is paying us a minimum of $46 per ton of paper compared to a minimum of $10 per ton in our old contract. If we did not recycle, we would lose the $55,620 in revenue, and have had to pay $1,034,625 in dumping fees ($62.50 per ton x 16,554 tons of recycling in 2003).   Borough ordinances make it mandatory to recycle and the Borough has the right to fine any violators (up to $1,000 per violation).  The Recycling Division has tried to make recycling as easy as possible. We print a handbook each year that explains in detail what is acceptable and how to place the items out for collection. We also use a warning system to alert residents who improperly recycle or place recyclables with garbage.   In my six years as Recycling Coordinator I have issued a grand total of 20 summonses for failure to recycle. The total is low, not because I do not want to issue a summons, but the warning system works. The resident is educated as to the problem and they generally do not repeat the problem.   Fair Lawn's recycling program is very successful and is financially beneficial to the Borough. The environmental savings are enormous in terms of natural resources saved (not having to cut down new trees, energy to create products from virgin materials, etc.) not to mention the landfill space that is saved. Fair Lawn recycles more materials than it throws in the garbage.   I think that the minor inconvenience of recycling is a small price to pay for the benefits.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to call me at the Recycling Office at 201-794-5366.   Complaint:   What If It's Half and Half? The other week, my spouse left a footstool on the curb for the recycling folks. They did not take it. When I called to question them, I was told that 50% was metal and the other 50% belonged in the garbage. OK, I know it is all interpretation but -- what if an object is really half and half? Does that mean that it will just lay on the curb in a unattractive manner which defeats the beautification of recycling and all the strict rules?  There must be a better way.  Response: The rules are not intended to be confusing and we have tried to simplify them as much as possible. What many people do not understand is that the recycling markets that take our materials have regulations regarding what they accept.  The State of New Jersey also has strict guidelines regarding the amount of "garbage" that these recycling markets are allowed to accept. Our regulations are designed to allow Fair Lawn to recycle as much as possible without getting our recycling markets in trouble by bringing them too much garbage. The 50-50 rule for metal is about the simplest way to do it. We realize that not all items are 100% metal and are not requesting residents strip out the metal from other materials. When someone calls the Recycling Office and asks about the metal program, they need to remember that we cannot see the item they are talking about over the phone and cannot tell in some instances whether it falls into the metal category. Obvious items such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, driers, bicycles, grills, metal lawn chairs, metal sheds, metal cabinets and dishwashers are always recyclable as metal. The example of the step stool can be more difficult to determine, especially over the phone. We ask the resident to make a determination and schedule an appointment if they feel at least 50% of the item is metal. If they do schedule an appointment and our crew finds that it is not 50% metal, it will not be collected. It will then be acceptable as garbage. If you are at an absolute loss and the item is too big to bring to the curb to see if we take it, call the Recycling Office and request someone to come and take a look at it. Residents must realize that the less garbage we have mixed with our recyclables, the better price the borough can negotiate with our recycling markets. Complaint:  The Green Pail Is Too Heavy I have a handicap and the green barrel that carries the co-mingles is hard to schlep out when totally full.  I was told to go to Goodman's Hardware and buy wheels. Gee, now I have to spend money and put wheels on the garbage barrel. One day when my newspaper was not picked up on paper day, I inquired "why"? I was told the newspaper was in the wrong barrel and the sticker wasn't facing the curb.  There must be a better way. Response:  When the recycling barrels were distributed in 1995, the Recycling Division understood that there were residents that would be unable to use the container. We developed a "red sticker" program that is available free of charge to residents for placement on their own barrel to designate to the collection crew that there is commingle in the container. The recycling barrels can also be fitted with wheels that may be purchased through Goodman's Hardware and other hardware stores. It is an option and not a requirement. To obtain a red sticker, call the Recycling Office and we will mail them to you. Several years ago when there was a paper bag shortage and all of the supermarkets were moving towards plastic bags, many residents asked for an alternative to the paper bag/string tie system for paper. We used the "red sticker program" as a model and developed a "blue sticker program" to allow residents to put paper out in a garbage can. These blue stickers are available free of charge by calling the Recycling Office. Unfortunately many residents do not understand the scope of our collection program and cannot understand why we need a sticker program at all. The recycling barrels and the stickers are designed to make the collection as efficient as possible. While you may know what you put in your barrel that is at the curb, our recycling crews do not, until they look in the barrel. The crews know that the Borough recycling barrel contains commingle recycling as do barrels displaying red stickers, barrels with blue stickers have paper and cardboard while barrels with no stickers contain yard waste. The Recycling Division collects from approximately 2,700 homes and businesses each day. By knowing when they do not have to stop at a home or business allows them to get the routes done more efficiently and quicker. If they had to look in every barrel that is at the curb, they would not be able to complete the routes, especially during heavy yard waste collection times. Is there a better way?  There are different ways, as I have seen in other towns, but I believe that this is the best way for Fair Lawn. If anyone has a suggestion on how to do it better, please contact me so we can discuss it. If you have any questions, comments or concerns about the Recycling program, please contact me in one of these ways: PO Box 376 Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 201-794-5366 recycling@fairlawn.org Residents should also remember that the Recycling Division will not collect metal without an appointment. If you wish us to collect the metal, please call the Recycling Office at 201-794-5366 at least the business day before your regular recycling day. Appointments are scheduled for your recycling day only. The regular collection crews do not take metal, so there is a special truck that goes by the appointment log.