| Author |
Message |
    
Kathy Leventhal
Citizen
Username: Kml
Post Number: 29
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 22, 2005 - 5:26 pm: |     |
As suggested in the Soapbox thread, I'm re-posting my update on the CBAC Trash Report here.
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Because of the late hour when I made my report at last night's Township Committee meeting, I only briefly mentioned some efforts in response to the CBAC Study Team's Recommendations on Trash. I will elaborate more on where we are at here and expect that there will be more to say at the 2/1, Township Committee meeting.
A bit of review: Last year, the CBAC team studied our three trash areas: household, recycling and bulk. Also, because of a MAJOR increase in cost, the Township Committee decided to put a hold on plastics' recycling until a better way could be found.
So, what's happening? Lots!
Household: After hearing from many residents, the Public Works Committee decided NOT to move trash pickup to curb-side. The CBAC recommendations also asked that the administration examine the cost and billing method with Waste Management. In addition, the CBAC asked that we consider selling bags to cover some of the costs, like Chatham does. The Public Works Committee thinks this is not a feasible mechanism at this time.
Recycling: Through the efforts of Daniel Symonds, one of my CHS Government Interns, a study is completed of the paper recycling that is, or isn't being done at our schools. As a result, he is developing an education program for the schools. Daniel is also looking with DPW at recycling computer components for use by students who don't have home computers.
Eric found a better way to recycle plastics. At the League of Municipalities Conference, I spoke with plastics' recycling companies and a vendor with a baler system and am hopeful along with Eric and the Public Works Committee that the baler system will work for Maplewood. Besides, the baler is just as cool as the bottle crushing machines used in NYC!
Bulk: The CBAC asked for a review of the bulk pickup process. At this point, the plan is to educate residents about what should be put out for bulk pickup and what can go in the regular household pickup. Pickup of appliances is being examined by DPW.
Stay tuned for more 'Talking Trash'.
Kathy Leventhal, Township Committee |
AlisonS
Citizen
Username: Alisons
Post Number: 19
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 3:20 pm: | |
It is really comforting to know that the plastics issue is not dead. Every time I throw away an empty milk/coke/detergent container I feel rotten. Thanks for continuing to look for options.
I would also like to know if there is any way to bring garbage to Waste Management's dump. Specifically, when we have done small renovations on our home we have a lot of left over building materials that are not covered by the town's bulk pick up days. When I called the town to ask where we could bring the trash they said we would have to pay someone to haul it away. The estimates were around $300!!! I know that many other towns allow their residents to bring stuff to the dump. Where can we go?
Thanks again |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 173
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 3:51 pm: | |
Alison, call Fred Hodges at 908-688-2911. He has been recommended a number of times on MOL. We called him a few weeks ago to pick up construction stuff from replacing a sliding door and frame, plus a bunch of random junk. His quote was about half of anyone else's, he showed up the next day, he left the place really clean, and he was very pleasant too. Five stars. (for this job, he charged $50, I think; other quotes were upwards of $100) |
AlisonS
Citizen
Username: Alisons
Post Number: 20
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 4:08 pm: | |
mjc - thanks so much for the info.
But doesn't it seem crazy that we can't do this ourselves and pay nothing (other than our regular Waste Management fees)? I know of four other towns in NJ where they can just haul their own stuff off to the dump themselves. And the only reason I know of only 4 other towns, is because thats where the rest of my family lives. I only bothered to talk to them about this issue. Not exactly a scientific survey of the commmunities, but it was 4 for 4.
Kathy Leventhal, I think that if this isn't in our contract with Waste Management, it should be. |
johnny
Citizen
Username: Johnny
Post Number: 1177
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 9:04 pm: | |
Why doesn't the CBAC address the monopoly that Waste Management has over citizens of Maplewood?
We need choices. |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 4816
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 4:43 pm: | |
Johnny:
Good question. Why don't you send a private line to George Berkeley on this? He is heading the CBAC this year. |
Duncan
Supporter
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 3848
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 9:07 am: | |
Because Waste Management, being so freaking HUGE will underbid anyone who comes in to compete. This part of New Jersey is saturated with garbage already, we ship it to a barge on the river and it goes up state, or we put it on a train heading west. There simply isnt a landfill, or "dump" nearby for us to use. It is in fact a hidden tax.
Where I grew up you could pay someone to come haul away your stuff, but they hauled it to the town dump. Or you could just fill the back of your Ford Station Wagon and take it there yourself and if your kid helped you bought him an ice cream cone 
And personally I would prefer that.
WM raises prices randomly and we have no recourse.
But whatever you do, don't take it out on the guys on the truck. They bust their butts when its -15 windchill and 105 and humid. I watched, in stunned amazement, a woman screaming at them once a few years ago while walking my son around about this very issue and I realize she was angry at WM but those poor guys just happened to have that emblem on their coats. They are not owner operators. The do good work if you treat them like people. And when some people don't well....ooops you overstuffed your garbage bag and it spilled all over your patio. Who are they gonna make the effort for? |
Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 5104
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 9:25 am: | |
Actually our trash gets incinerated in Newark. |
AlisonS
Citizen
Username: Alisons
Post Number: 25
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 10:44 am: | |
Duncan -
The system you're describing still exists. My sister in Summit, my parents in Parsippany, and my inlaws in Milltown (near New Brunswick) all are able to haul the junk that the town won't take to their local dump. These towns are as urban/suburban as Maplewood and with the exception of Parsippany are very small and built up. Dumps still exist and I have no problem driving to where ever our dump is to get rid of stuff that the town won't take on bulk pick up days. I've done it with my family and I didn't even get the ice cream cone.
But next time I'm holding out for some Jamoca Almond Fudge.
|
bottomline
Citizen
Username: Bottomline
Post Number: 162
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 2:10 pm: | |
Alison,
The dumps in those towns are just transfer stations, and the towns are paying by the ton to have the stuff moved and disposed of elsewhere.
It's just a question of how you want your tax dollars spent.
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Bobkat
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7371
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 2:28 pm: | |
Ancient history time. When we moved here in 1979 you could take trash to the Public Works facility on Boyden by only showing proof of residency. Over the years this became more restricted. The last time I used the facility in 1987 you had to buy a ticket book. Shortly thereafter the facility was closed because of the expense and probably misuse. The last time I used it, to dispose of a couple of tons of bricks and rubble, I remember someone had dropped off a motorcycle frame. They had a large dumpster that was hauled off when full.
Also, back in those days I think we had monthly bulk pickup days. We now have those only twice a year.
Me, myself and I would trade one of the bulk pickups for the privledge of bringing stuff to the "dump" more regularly. Heck, this would give me the excuse to buy a pickup truck!!!! |
AlleyGater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 41
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 11:56 pm: | |
I'm sick of the garbage problem in this town. I pay WM and I don't feel like I get much service for what I pay. I have had two light weighted garbage bags outside my house (full of a bit of sheetrock) for over 6 months now. WM won't take it. I missed the last bulk pick up cause I was out of Town, and they probably wouldn't have taken it then either. I'm sick of stock piling my trash for two days out of the year. I feel like my house is full of trash that I am storing.
I think it is stupid that I need to take my trash in the back of my car to my in-laws a few towns away just to get rid of those two bags.
I put out trash maybe once every week or so. WM doesn't take any trash from my house 2 or three times in a row. And they won't take these two light bags? It's stupid.
People tell me I should rip open the bags and place little pieces in each weeks worth of my garbage. To that I say...
I would rather the Town handled the garbage, I'm sick of Waste Management. |
Duncan
Supporter
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 3850
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 8:49 am: | |
Well not to put too fine a point on it, but it is stipulated that construction materials are not allowed. Sheetrock, no matter how much, falls under that category.
Bulk pick...they take ANYTHING with some minor exceptions like paint cans, or propane tanks or things that are considered HAZMAT.
Look, if you see my post above, I am no fan of WM, but the town probably wouldn't pick up your construction materials either. And if they saw it more than once they might cross check with building permits and then if you dont have one you open a whole new can of worms.
And Alison, I didn't mean to imply that they don't still exist, only that in this densly populated an area they don't. I know the "dump" in my home town in MA. is still operating and some friends of ours who live west of here can haul their own stuff away.
Just the way it is around here. Doubtful that it will change. Wish to heaven it would though, cause I have more fiberglass insulation in my basement left over from the bathroom job that I forgot to get rid of when the last bulk was, so I wait. |
Bobkat
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7379
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 9:48 am: | |
Actually latex paint cans once the paint is dried can be disposed of in the regular garbage or on bulk pickup day. Only oil based paint is considered hazardous.
I wouldn't be surprised if you put the bags with the sheetrock out at the curb on the second pickup of the week that they disappear.
Compared to when we had Browning Ferris I find Waste Management a sunny day in July to be honest. I believe that WM bought the local company that handled our trash and that is how we ended up with them. I believe that is WMs business plan btw.
|
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5270
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 4:49 pm: | |
bobk, I thought it was a sports car that you lust after. |
argon_smythe
Citizen
Username: Argon_smythe
Post Number: 523
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 9:14 pm: | |
Be glad you even get any bulk pickup days at all. South Orange has none.
|
optimyst
Citizen
Username: Optimyst
Post Number: 105
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 10:47 pm: | |
I have put out usable construction materials on Bulk Pickup Day as long as I was willing to take them back in if no scavenger took them first.
My leftover tar paper, fiberglass insulation, sheetrock, plywood, long pipes, etc. have always found a home before the town truck came. |
Duncan
Supporter
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 3867
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 9:05 am: | |
I shall hold on to them until then and give someone a freebie!
thanks optimyst, hadn't really given that much thought, though I was amazed when my destroyed and completely unusable Gas Grill (absent the tank) was picked to pieces. I dont doubt that some sculpters do some of the picking on scavenger night. |
Bobkat
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7397
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 9:56 am: | |
Tom, haven't you ever heard of literary license?
I always thought that the prohibition on construction debris only applied to contractor's waste, not the leftovers from DIY projects. |
Dego Diva
Citizen
Username: Fmingione
Post Number: 218
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:57 pm: | |
Duncan -
Someone picked apart my old gruddy gas grill too!! Bet it was the same guy. He said he turns the scrap metal in for cash. |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 4825
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 4:41 pm: | |
Not only have I been able to get scavengers to pick up left over construction materials on scavenger night but I have had them cart the materials up from the basement so I didn't even have to do any hauling.
On scavenger night, it's not unusual for persons to ring doorbells on our street and ask if anyone has left over building materials to get rid of. Scrap metal is especially popular, thus the interest in the old gas grills. |
Duncan
Supporter
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 3882
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 3, 2005 - 9:21 am: | |
drat.. if only I had known, I could have made 50 cents on that grille.. lol |
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