Cape May Moves Recycling In-house

CAPE MAY – The price of recycling is going up and towns across the county are struggling to cope.
The public is aware in a way that it never was that China had for years absorbed the largest share of the United States’ recycling materials. That changed and China is in the process of withdrawing from the market.
State law requires counties and municipalities to recycle, but the crunch comes in what to do with the recycled material. That issue impacts the County Municipal Utilities Authority, but it rebounds to the towns in terms of the rebates they once enjoyed and the added cost to the municipalities if recycled material ends up as additional solid waste to the landfill.
Another problem for municipalities is rising fees from contractors who pick up recycled material curbside. The current value of materials is offsetting less of the costs of curbside pickup. The national picture is one of struggle by towns to find alternative ways of meeting mandated service.
Cape May’s contract for recycling pickup ended in January, according to City Manager Neil Young. At the March 19 Cape May City Council meeting, Young said that the bid for continuing the service rose to $550,000, an over 300 percent increase from the previous contract.
The formal introduction of the city’s 2019 budget showed the result of the city’s decision to take recyclable pickup and disposition in-house. The capital budget for the year contains $400,000 for the purchase of two trucks and other heavy equipment. Manpower and equipment would be allocated to an in-house process that the city believes is more economical than outsourcing in a recycling industry roiled by change.
Council member Zack Mullock voted against the resolutions authorizing the purchase of one truck at $110,000 and $80,000 for a rear-loader body. Mullock argued that the process for soliciting outsourcing bids had not been done in a way that would attract potentially lower bids from smaller companies. His arguments did not persuade others to vote with him and the resolutions passed 4 to 1.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.