May 2, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 11 Midland Park Midland Park is stepping up its efforts to get residents to keep recyclable materials out of their garbage cans and sent out an information sheet attached to its newsletter last week encouraging recycling. “We want to insure our trash contractor is able to comply with the rules and requirements at the dumping locations and the Department of Environmental Protection,” said Rudy Gnehm, the DPW foreman who doubles as recycling coordinator. Just as important, Gnehm said, is that recycling makes money sense. He said the borough pays out $64.50 a ton to dispose of solid waste at the dump, but is able to sell recyclables. The town gets $100 a ton for corrugated cardboard, $40 a ton for mixed newspaper and $25 a ton for commingled glass, cans, etc. “We looked at the numbers and did a small audit of 1 percent of the town. We didn’t like doing it, but we had to know New push is on to encourage recycling compliance what we were dealing with. We found that 28 percent of the material put out as garbage is recyclable; we want to get that figure down to 8 percent.” He said a more comprehensive audit would be done in 2013. Gnehm said townwide inspections will be renewed this month. Garbage that is found noncompliant will be marked with a green violation sticker, and will not be picked up. The homeowner will have to remove the offending material before placing the garbage curbside again for pick up. “We are not doing this to use as an enforcement tool, just to get solid waste to the dump and recyclables to the recycling station. We want to educate residents, to make them more conscious of recycling,” Gnehm said. Items to be recycled, and therefore not permitted as solid waste, include paper, cardboard and junk mail; metal cans, glass bottles and jars, all plastic containers (no. 1 to 7); and milk and juice cartons previously not allowed but now accepted. All materials should be rinsed out first. Items not to be recycled include hardback books, frozen food or food-contaminated boxes, plastic trays, food containers or foil items; big plastic pails or tubs; mugs, glasses, vases, bulbs, bakeware, dishes or window glass; plastic, Styrofoam or caps; motor oil, lubricants, paint or pesticide containers. Plastic bags are also prohibited because they clog the sorting equipment. They can be taken to the grocery store for recycling. (refer to the recycling flier in the newslet- ter for further information). Gnehm said that the borough is considering purchasing recycling containers to distribute to residents but is first looking to reassess the program prior to the expiration of the current recycling contract next year. He said he is investigating options for single stream recycling, where paper and commingled items are recycled together. He said this method generates less income but is more convenient to residents. If this system is adopted, he said, the town may have to provide 96-gallon containers. “Recycling not only saves the environment, but saves the borough money,” he stressed.