Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • November 7, 2012 Midland Park Midland park residents’ recycling efforts have netted the borough $13,298.53 for the year 2011, and borough officials hope that increased efforts will result in greater benefits in future years. The funds, awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act (REA), is determined by the amount of materials the municipality recycled during the year 2010. In 2010, the borough recycled 5,777 tons of materials. Residents recycled 4,000 tons in 2011, and a grant application has been made for that year as well, according to Laurie O’Hanlon, who keeps the records for the recycling department. The tonnage grant is based on all materials removed from the waste stream and directed to recycling markets from the borough. This includes not only the items picked up by the municipality curbside or collected at the recycling center, but also materials recycled by private contractors or individual homeowners. Materials included are commingled glass, cans, and aluminum, paper, office paper, cardboard, metal; vegetative waste, including brush, leaves, grass clippings and Christmas trees; concrete, blocks and brick and other demoli- Recycling pays: Town gets $13,298 tonnage grant tion materials and wood waste. Computer and electronic equipment are also now collected at the recycling center on Greenwood Avenue. Recycling Coordinator Rudy Gnehm urged residents and businesses who recycle materials on their own to report the amount to town hall so that those figures can be included in the borough’s recycling report, thus allowing the town to be credited. The grant funds are used to underwrite recycling costs and to purchase items that aid in recycling efforts. New trash and recyclable receptables placed around town were purchase with those funds. Since assuming the coordinator role earlier this year, Gnehm has stepped up efforts to encourage recycling and identify existing drawbacks to a successful program. Not only he wants to ensure that the trash from Midland Park dumped at the dumping locations complies with all the applicable regulations, but he also wants to reduce the garbage dumping costs and increase the moneys collected from the sale of the recyclables and the amount of the tonnage grants. 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. Gnehm said that his initial efforts to monitor residents’ garbage dumping habits brought out that 28 percent of the material put out as garbage is recyclable. He said he wants to get that figure down to 8 percent. In appreciation Godwin School second graders recently visited Midland Park town hall and met with Mayor Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan, who discussed his job and answered students’ questions. In photo above, Borough Clerk/Administrator Addie Hanna presents the mayor with a thank you note signed by all the students who attended the mayor’s presentation.