SWAINTON — Builders continue to dump that old devil corrugated (cardboard) — which should be recycled — in with their trash, and the county Health Department has turned down the county MUA’s request to share the Health Department’s power to enforce recycling.
The MUA can fine haulers bringing recyclables in the trash as much as $200 a ton, but agreed in December, when haulers protested that it’s not their fault, to focus on the source of the viola-tions.
Outgoing MUA Executive Director George Marinakis said Dec. 21 that the agency would “try to get a joint program with the county Health Department.”
“The idea would be better enforcement,” agreed MUA Chairman George Betts.
But Solid Waste Manager John Baron told the authority Feb. 15 that joint program wasn’t approved at his Feb. 9 meeting with Kevin Thomas, assistant public health coordinator.
“They admitted solid waste had been a low priority,” said Baron, “but they will work with us.”
Among problems, he said, since the Health Department also serves as local boards of health, was, “What law do you cite? We have to look into the exact regulations and where we should focus.”
“We need an agreement with the county to enforce (the regulations),” said Solicitor Howard Long. “We should have a model law for all municipalities.”
“That would make it too easy,” cracked Commissioner William G. Burns Jr.
“We haven’t really done too much of this in the past,” Thomas told this newspaper. “The state DEP does require certain inspections at the 25 schools. But we will be stepping up and go-ing beyond that. The MUA will be doing enforcement at the MUA and we will get referrals from recycling coordinators.”
Freeholder Gerald M. Thornton, liaison to the Health Department, said it “feels they have the enforcement authority and they enforce municipal ordinances and they already have licensed inspectors.”
“The county prefers to do it themselves,” said MUA Executive Director Charles Norkis. He called corrugated “the hot subject, what’s more in the waste stream than anything.
“Some businesses aren’t recycling anything,” he said. “You can fine them, but we don’t have that capability.”
“We will be going to the establishments themselves,” said Thomas, “construction sites, food establishments, but not to residential.”
Thomas said the Health Department gets about $130,000 a year from the DEP under the Envi-ronmental Health Act which includes inspections of odor emissions, noise, surface water etc. violations.
As for recycling, he said, “If somebody asked us, we did it, but we haven’t actively been in-volved.”
Baron told MUA commissioners that more corrugated is coming in to be recycled, but there also is more in rolloff boxes (from construction sites).
“The contractors get no return for doing it,” pointed out Baron,
“I asked developers and they say ‘I’m not going to pay a guy to break it down,'” said Commissioner John Pantalone.
“We need a slap on the hand,” said Baron.
“A fine will get their attention,” said Burns.
“We hope to have what they (Health) will go after then with resolved in a couple months,” said Baron.
County Counsel John Porto told the Herald he is examining “notices of violation and protocol.”
The MUA wrote all mayors in August that the 1,994 tons of paper and corrugated received for recycling in July was “the lowest ever” despite the demolition and building boom.
Recycling material is received free; the charge for construction and demolition debris is $61 a ton.
During the MUA’s corrugated discussion in August, it was pointed out that the state-required Solid Waste Advisory Council (SWAC) hasn’t met in several years.
Freeholders Feb. 14, in a resolution noting SWAC hasn’t met since March, 2001, appointed 17 persons to it. Four represent recycling, solid waste, and the environment. Thirteen repre-sented municipalities. There was no one from Avalon, Stone Harbor, or Woodbine.
Contact Zelnik at (609) 886-8600 Ext. 27 or: jzelnik@cmcherald.com
