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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 21, 2004

Contact: Fred Mumford
(609) 984-1795

Commissioner Campbell Recognizes Statewide Efforts Promoting Recycling

(04/123) Trenton -- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today announced the recipients of 10 recycling awards for their efforts to increase recycling in the state during the past year.

"Recycling at home or work is vital to conserving our natural resources," said Commissioner Campbell. "These individuals, government agencies and private businesses have demonstrated innovative leadership to increase recycling and reduce the amount of hazardous and solid waste going to landfills and other facilities."

Twelve New Jersey students also received poetry awards as part of DEP’s recycling poetry contest at the 24th Annual New Jersey Recycling Symposium and Awards Luncheon held yesterday in Monroe Township. DEP co-sponsors the event with the Association of New Jersey Recyclers and the New Jersey Recycling Forum.

The 2004 award recipients are listed below, along with links to additional information and poetry contest winners:

AWARD CATEGORY: COUNTY RECYCLING COORDINATOR
AWARD RECIPIENT: Richard Hills, Middlesex County

During Richard Hills’ tenure as head of the Division of Solid Waste Management, Middlesex began a number of programs that cover paint drop-off, consumer electronics recycling, household battery recycling, tire drop-off, and CFC recycling incentives. This year, under his guidance, Middlesex County provided grants to municipalities under a newly created Recycling Enhancement Grant program. Middlesex County has achieved the distinction of being the only county in the state to reach a 60 percent recycling rate for eight straight years

AWARD CATEGORY: OUTREACH/MEDIA
AWARD RECIPIENT: Barbara Fiedler, Galloway Township

Ms. Fiedler has developed an extensive outreach program for recycling in Galloway Township. She has developed brochures, posters, flyers, and display advertising for two local newspapers. She also uses the township Web site to promote new recycling programs, such as cell phone, electronics and ink jet cartridge collection programs.

AWARD CATEGORY: COUNTY RECYCLING PROGRAM
AWARD RECIPIENT: Atlantic County Utilities Authority

The Atlantic County Utilities Authority recently implemented an “All Plastic Bottles” campaign in an attempt to achieve a higher recycling rate for plastic, and provides curbside collection of rechargeable batteries, hosts monthly paint/motor oil/anti-freeze/auto battery collections and three annual household hazardous waste collection days. Residential recycling is up 1.2 percent and commercial recycling is up 9.8 percent in 2004.

AWARD RECIPIENT: MUNICIPAL RECYCLING PROGRAM
AWARD CATEGORY: Borough of Woodcliff Lake

The Borough of Woodcliff Lake provides a unique residential only sanitation and source separation recycling system. The key to the success of the recycling program is the Ecology Facility, which now accepts 16 items for recycling. The facility brings in 90 percent of the recycling which cuts down on the Borough’s collection costs.

AWARD CATEGORY: PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP
AWARD RECIPIENT: Ricoh Corporation

Through the inception of its comprehensive demanufacturing program, Ricoh Corporation has recycled more than 14 million pounds of obsolete products, including competitive trade-in equipment. Ricoh has absorbed the processing cost of $3.5 million since the start of the program in 2000. Using state-of-the-art demanufacturing systems, Ricoh is recovering 95 percent of the material content from this equipment.

AWARD CATEGORY: RECYCLING INDUSTRY
AWARD RECIPIENT: Hesstech, LLC

Hesstech accepts electronic equipment such as computers and monitors for reuse, recycling and demanufacturing. Hesstech also manages laboratory equipment and is permitted to manage mercury-containing materials such as thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent lamps. Hesstech has managed over 375,000 pounds of electronics, 140 mercury-containing devices and 4800 linear feet of fluorescent light bulbs from Middlesex County residents and municipal governments. In 2003, total outgoing material from Hesstech that was reused, recycled or demanufactured was 1,400,614 pounds.

AWARD CATEGORY: SOURCE REDUCTION
AWARD RECIPIENT: Bergen County Utilities Authority

The Bergen County Utilities Authority, in a joint public-private partnership with United Water, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) and the Bergen County Department of Health Services, introduced the Bergen County Mercury Thermometer Swap Program in 2004. This program allowed residents to properly dispose of mercury thermometers and receive new digital thermometers. BD donated a supply of 5,000 digital thermometers and United Water disseminated information to 170,000 Bergen County residents. The total number of mercury thermometers collected to date is 3,385.

AWARD CATEGORY: COMMISSIONER’S AWARD
AWARD RECIPIENT: Audrey Rockman

Audrey Rockman has an educational background in Management, Housing and Family Development and has worked in the field of home and personal organization since 1985. Last year, with financial assistance from DEP, Ms. Rockman developed the redistribution manual entitled “A Place For Everything” focusing on recycling and reuse opportunities for specialty items in Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth counties.

AWARD CATEGORY: COMMISSIONER’S AWARD
AWARD WINNER: Lumberton Township, Burlington County

Burlington County recently sponsored a pilot project to improve recycling rates at apartment and condominium developments. The county had determined that average curbside recycling participation rates are 75 percent, but multifamily recycling rates are as low as 25 percent. Seven multi-family complexes increased their recycling rates by an average of 40 percent (with one complex increasing by nearly 115 percent) for projected savings of $15,000 to the township this year.

AWARD CATEGORY: COMMISSIONER’S AWARD
AWARD WINNER: Anheuser-Busch – Newark Brewery

The Anheuser-Busch Newark Brewery has implemented a comprehensive recycling program resulting in a 95 percent recycling rate for brewery generated waste materials. In 2003, the brewery generated approximately 121,000 tons of waste, and of that amount, the brewery recycled nearly 119,000 tons. Among other items, the facility recycled over 100,000 tons of spent grains, which are used as cattle feed and in land applications. Additionally, 60 percent of the glass bottles purchased by this Anheuser-Busch facility contain approximately 50 percent post-consumer recycled material.

More Information about each award winner
DEP’s Recycling Poetry Contest Winners

 

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