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[Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee Community Forum]
START, ANGELA? IF WE COULD COME TOGETHER.I LIKE TO RESPECT EVERYBODY'S TIME.
IF SOMEBODY COMES IN LATE, THEY CAN JOIN US.
THEY CAN ALSO, EVENTUALLY, WHEN THIS IS PLACED ON THE WEBSITE, BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AS WELL.
L SO, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE SLASH GREEN TEAMS ANNUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
I'M THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE PROGRAM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE OUR MAYOR ERIC RESTOCK AND COUNCILWOMAN BETHANY MILK THAT'S HERE THIS EVENING, AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF MY COMMITTEE, MY VICE CHAIR PERSON, DEB EVANS, OUR SECRETARY FOR LIFE, ED TENTOFF
BRIAN PALONE, VICE SECRETARY FOR LIFE.
THE BEST SECRETARY FOR LIFE, ED OV, BRIAN POLONE.
UH, WE HAVE OUR ALICE LEVI, SANDRA KRUEGER.
I SAID ALICE TWICE, SO I MUST BE JUST A TAD NERVOUS TONIGHT.
AND I LEAN WRIGHT, WHO'S THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR GREEN TEAM, WHO'S BEEN ABLE TO KEEP BOTH THE GREEN TEAM AND THE GREEN TEAM AUXILIARY GOING.
SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO GET TOGETHER AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT, UH, ABOUT SOME SUBJECTS THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEART.
AND IF YOU KNOW ME PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART ARE TRASH, PLASTIC, RECYCLING, AND COMPOST, BECAUSE THIS IS, THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A PLUG, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT LATER, AND WE CAN ALSO TALK ABOUT IT SATURDAY AT FREEDOM PARK, WHEN WE HAVE OUR EARTH DAY AND TREE GIVEAWAY.
UH, TALK ABOUT BOTH, UH, RAIN GARDENS AND GOING INTO THE FUTURE WITH COMMUNITY COMPOSTING.
SO, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP OUR FIRST SPEAKER, UH, TOM GERBER, SOMEBODY THAT I HAVE KNOWN FOR YEARS IN A VARIETY OF FASHIONS, BOTH AS A, A, A LOCAL HISTORIAN, A FIREFIGHTER, NEW JERSEY, FOREST FIRE AND CRANBERRY FARMER.
SO, TOM, IF YOU WOULDN'T COME UP, THANK YOU, PAUL, FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
SO, YEAH, SO I AM, UH, WHAT'S KNOWN AS THIS FOREST FIRE WARDEN SECTION, FOREST FIRE WARDEN.
AND I WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
UM, I'VE WORKED FOR THEM, UH, FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.
I HAVE TO MANDATORILY RETIRE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SO YEAH, BEEN A LIFETIME, UH, RESIDENT OF MEDFORD HERE, LIFETIME RESIDENT.
SO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.
I COVER MOST OF THE PINELANDS AREA OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND ACRE AREA AROUND, AROUND MEDFORD AND HAMM AND ALL THIS AREA HERE.
SO, YEAH, TOLD THAT WHEN, UH, SHE APPROACHED ME ABOUT THE LEAVE THE LEAVES.
I, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON LEAVE THE LEAVES AND, UH, I KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART UNDERSTOOD WHAT THAT MEANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY LEAVE THE LEAVES.
AND, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WAS ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THAT.
SO THE COLLISION COURSE WOULD LEAVE THE LEAVES, UH, IN PARTICULAR COMES HERE IN THE PINELANDS AND, AND MEDFORD.
SO LEAVES AND PINE NEEDLES AND ALL THAT STUFF ARE FIRE HAZARDS.
THEY'RE HAZARDS AROUND YOUR HOMES.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE EXPERIENCED, UH, ONE OF THE WORST DROUGHTS IN MY CAREER HERE, JUST RECENTLY.
AND WE'RE RECOVERING SLOWLY BUT SURELY WITH THE RAINFALLS THAT HAVE OCCURRED HERE RECENTLY.
BUT, UH, THROUGHOUT LAST FALL AND INTO EARLY SPRING, LOTS OF FIRES AROUND EVERYBODY'S HOMES.
UH, LOTS OF CARELESSNESS, LOTS OF BACKYARD FIRES THAT WERE ESCAPING AND BURNING.
AND SO LEAVE THE LEAVES HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A COLLISION, IN PARTICULAR IN THE PINE BARRENS REGIONS, THE PINE BARRENS AREA, UH, LEAVING THE LEAVES, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ACCUMULATION OF PINE NEEDLES AND LEAVES.
THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF EARTHWORMS IN THE TRUE SANDY SOILS OF THE PINE BARRENS.
SO THE LEAVES DON'T BREAK DOWN AS EASILY AS THEY WOULD IN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER HARDWOOD FOREST AROUND AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO LEAVE THE LEAVES, WE HAVE TO KIND OF PARK COMPANY A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS AREA UP, THE PINELANDS IS NOT ONLY FIRE ADAPTED, IT IS FIRE PRONE.
SO MEANING TWO THINGS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE FIRES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
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FIRE SEASON, FOREST FIRE SEASON RIGHT NOW.HISTORICALLY, GOING BACK TO COLONIAL TIMES, THERE WERE ALWAYS FIRES, YOU KNOW, IN THESE, THESE FORESTS, THERE WERE FIRE ADAPTED FORESTS.
ALL THE TREES, ALL THE SHRUBBERY HAS BEEN USED TO CENTURIES AND CENTURIES OF FIRE.
YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD DAYS, IN THE COLONIAL TIMES, THERE WERE SETTLEMENTS.
AND THEN THE FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, LIVED IN THOSE AREAS, THEY KNEW HOW TO WORK WITH FIRE, USE FIRE TO, TO KEEP THE, THE LANDSCAPE, UH, FREE OF A HIGH ACCUMULATION OF LEAVES AND PINE NEEDLES AND SUCH.
AND WE DO BURNING, UM, ALSO NOW, BUT NOW WE HAVE SO MANY HOMES.
SO WHAT WE NEED, UH, IN MOST AREAS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, IF THEY LIVE ON A HALF ACRE LOT, THEY LIVE ON AN ACRE LOT.
WE NEED EVERYBODY THAT LIVES IN THE FOREST OF MEDFORD IN PARTICULAR.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT, YOU NEED TO GIVE US DEFENSIBLE SPACE AROUND YOUR HOMES, AROUND YOUR SHEDS, AROUND YOUR GARAGE.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS, FROM ZERO TO FIVE FEET, FROM THE EDGE OF YOUR HOUSE, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT WILL BURN.
YOU CAN'T HAVE, YOU CAN'T HAVE LEAVES.
YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY ACCUMULATION IN IT, BECAUSE IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE, A FIRE RUNNING THROUGH THE FOREST, THAT STUFF WILL CATCH FIRE AND IT'LL SET YOUR HOUSE ON FIRE, ZERO TO FIVE FEET, NOTHING, ZERO TO 30 FEET.
YOU CAN'T HAVE PINE NEEDLES LAYING AROUND THERE, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA CARRY FIRE TO YOUR HOUSE, TO YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.
SO YOU NEED TO KEEP THAT AREA ZERO TO 30 FEET, VIRTUALLY THE VOID OF ANY ACCUMULATION OF LEAVES.
YOU CAN HAVE GRASS, YOU CAN HAVE MOSS.
A LOT OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, ON THE OUTSIDE ROAD IN DIFFERENT AREAS, THEY HAVE MOSS.
IT'S AN EXCELLENT FIRE RETARDANT AREA AROUND YOUR HOME.
YOU CAN HAVE STONES, YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER.
WE KIND OF DISCOURAGE THE USE OF, UH, CHIPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE DURING DRY TIMES, THEY CAN BE VERY EASILY IGNITED.
BUT THAT ZERO TO ZERO TO FIVE FEET VERY IMPORTANT.
MAINTAINING, NOT HAVING, UH, TREES, TOUCHING THE, YOU KNOW, THE SIDE OF YOUR HOUSE, KEEPING YOUR GUTTERS CLEAN, ALL THAT.
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THESE LITTLE HOT EMBERS, IT'S NOT THE BIG GIGANTIC FLAMES THAT COME IN AND BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN.
IT, IT'S THESE LITTLE EMBERS THAT LAND IN THESE AREAS OF LEAF ACCUMULATION.
SO KEEPING THE GUTTERS CLEAN, ZERO TO FIVE FEET AROUND THE HOUSE.
AND THEN THAT 30 FEET AREA, WE DO RECOMMEND AND REALLY HIGH HAZARD AREAS.
SO IF YOU GET DOWN IN FAR SOUTH MEDFORD, SOUTH CORNER, JACKSON ROAD, CENTENNIAL, THOSE AREAS, WE, WE'D LIKE TO SEE MORE THAN 30 FEET.
BUT, AND THAT SOMETIMES, I KNOW THAT'S DIFFICULT AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE ALL OF OUR TREES CUT AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE DO NEED SEPARATION AROUND THE HOMES.
WE CAN'T HAVE TREES LINING UP RIGHT AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE HOMES AND CARRYING THESE CROWN FIRES IN, INTO THE, UH, DEVELOPED AREAS.
IF YOU HAVE A BIGGER LOT, UH, THE PINE BARRENS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BEAST AS FAR AS LEAF ACCUMULATION.
AND, AND WE ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE AND, AND WE DO BURNING AS A STATE AGENCY ON STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS, WE LOOK TO RE REDUCE THE ACCUMULATION OF LEAVES THROUGH FIRE BECAUSE THE PINE BARRENS IS FIRE ADAPTED.
SO ANYBODY THAT'S OWNED LAND OR HAS LARGE PROPERTIES HAS ALWAYS LOOKED TO REDUCE THAT ACCUMULATION OF LEAVES WITH FIRE, BECAUSE IT JUST, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THE SAFEST THING TO DO.
NOW AS FAR AS, UM, FOLKS THAT HAVE A COUPLE ACRES AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO ANY LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE COMPOST PILES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, ISOLATE THEM AWAY FROM YOUR, UH, SHEDS AND YOUR OUTBUILDINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND IF YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE TO SPREAD THE LEAVES OUT AND ABOUT, THAT'S FINE.
UM, BUT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TOWNSHIP LEAF COLLECTION PROGRAM.
THEY'RE EXCELLENT FOR FIRE PROTECTION, AND A LOT OF THOSE LEAVES ARE NOT GOING TO THE LANDFILL.
THEY'RE GOING TO A LOT OF THE LOCAL FARMERS, AND A LOT OF THE LOCAL FARMERS HAVE AREAS OF VERY SANDY SOIL, SOME OF IT VERY POOR SANDY SOIL.
AND THOSE LEAVES ARE GOING TO BUILD UP THAT SOIL PROFILE AND MAKE IT BETTER TO GROW CROPS.
UM, THAT'S, SO THAT'S A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF EVERYTHING AS I SEE IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE THAT DEFENSIBLE
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SPACE IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.ALL THESE WOODED DEVELOPMENTS, AND I COULD RATTLE 'EM ALL OFF IN MY HEAD.
UM, EVERYBODY'S NOT DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING, BUT IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER IN MY 40 YEAR CAREER.
PEOPLE ARE GIVING US THAT DEFENSIBLE SPACE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, UM, BIG FIRES IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS AND KEEP THEIR HOMES ISOLATED AND SAFE FROM, FROM THESE, UH, VOLATILE FOREST FUELS THAT ARE SURROUND US.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THE END WHEN WE HAVE EVERYBODY UP.
OUR NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK, I'M GONNA TAKE A MINUTE AND, AND GET HIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, IS, UH, MATTHEW WASSERMAN, WHO'S VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW JERSEY COUNT COMPOST, COUNCIL OF COMPOST OR COMPOST COUNCIL.
AND, UH, WHEN I, WHEN I WAS BUSY LOOKING HIM UP TO SEE WHO WAS GONNA JOIN US TONIGHT, I WAS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE, UH, HE'S A CLIMATE CHANGE PROFESSIONAL.
SO ALL THE THINGS THAT I'M DOING AND TRYING TO TEACH MYSELF AND LEARN, MATTHEW KNOWS IT ALL.
SO, SO, UH, I REALLY AM APPRECIATIVE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING HIM SPEAK.
SO GIMME A SECOND HERE AND WE WILL GET YOU UP.
START FROM HERE, RIGHT? GO AHEAD.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
UM, MY NAME'S MATT WASSERMAN, AND AS, AS SHE AS BOSS SAID, I AM FROM NEW JERSEY, COMPOSTING COUNCIL.
JUST WANNA, BEFORE I JUMP IN, I DO WANNA SAY, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION YOU JUST GAVE TOM, BECAUSE I'M FROM PRINCETON.
WE WOULD NEVER HAVE A LEGAL LEAVE CONVERSATION LIKE THAT, RIGHT? IT WOULD GO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, BUT IT GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT CONTEXT MATTERS WHERE YOU LIVE MATTERS, RIGHT? AND SO YOU, YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, IT'S BECAUSE WE DO THIS HERE.
IT'S THE WAY WE SHOULD DO IT EVERYWHERE.
AND SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I KIND OF FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I GO FROM TOWN TO TOWN AND, AND, AND, AND DO APPRECIATE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA TALK A LITTLE ABOUT, UH, ABOUT COMPOSTING.
UM, BUT THE NEW JERSEY COMPOSTING COUNCIL, WE ARE A, A NONPROFIT INDUSTRY GROUP.
SO WE ARE HAVE ABOUT 50 OR 55 MEMBERS.
UM, KATIE, THERE IS, IS ONE OF THEM.
WE ESSENTIALLY REPRESENT FOLKS WHO ARE MICRO HAULERS, COMPOSTERS, UM, COMPOST, MANUFAC, COMPOST EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS.
ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU SOMEHOW BELIEVE FOOD WASTE RECYCLING, ORGANICS, RECYCLING, COMPOSTING IS WORTHWHILE DOING, WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF OUR, OF THE ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE WHAT WE DO, UM, IS TRY TO, YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH, UM, AND EDUCATION, UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW EASY IT'S TO SEE THOSE THINGS, BUT KATIE, YOU'RE UP THERE SOMEWHERE.
UM, BUT, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF COMPANIES, BIG COMPANIES, SMALL COMPANIES WHO ARE PART OF WHO WE ARE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE REALLY TRY TO DO IS WE CONSULT, WE EDUCATE AND WE ADVOCATE.
SO, UM, WE DO, WE WORK A LOT WITH THE NEW, THE DEPARTMENT OF AG AND WITH RUTGERS, UH, WE HAVE, WE'VE DONE SOME WORK FOR ON EDUCATION.
WE HAVE, UM, WE'VE WORKED ON SOME WEB APPS TO KIND OF PUT PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO WANT TO COMPOST, WHO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE, UH, MANURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE SHOW UP AT, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETINGS, TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UH, EARTH DAYS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UH, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CAN, UM, WE, WE DO A LOT OF ADVOCACY WORK.
SO I SHOW UP IN TRENTON AND I WILL TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF ESSENTIALLY THE COMPOST COMMUNITY, AND WE DO IT WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS LIKE THE, UH, AN JACK, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW JERSEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONS ASSOCIATION, OR WITH ANDREW, THE ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY RECYCLERS.
UM, SO WE TRY TO GET TOGETHER TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE AS BIG OF A GROUP AS WE CAN TO ADVOCATE FOR FOOD WASTE AND FOOD, FOOD WASTE RECYCLING.
SO WHY DO WE COMPOST? AND SO, I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GUESSING MOST OF YOU KNOW, MOST OF WHAT'S GOING, YOU KNOW, MOST OF WHY WE DO THIS, UH, BUT COMPOST UNLIKE FERTILIZER, IS SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO HELP THE SOIL, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, FERTILIZER IS ESSENTIALLY SOMETHING YOU APPLY BECAUSE THE SOIL NO LONGER HAS ALL THE NUTRIENTS IT'S SUPPOSED TO
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HAVE IN IT, WHEREAS COMPOST KIND OF PUTS THOSE NUTRIENTS BACK IN THE SOIL.IT, IT PROVIDES A SPACE FOR ALL OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, MICRO, UH, YOU KNOW, VERT VERTEBRATES AND, AND ALL THOSE TYPES OF FUNGI AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GROW, UM, AND TO BE PART OF THE SOIL AND TO MAKE ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU LOVE TO GROW, UM, YOU KNOW, GROW WELL.
UM, BUT IT DOES OTHER THINGS TOO.
IT HELPS WITH, UM, SOIL EROSION, IT HELPS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DOT USES A LOT ON, ON, ON, ON ROAD PROJECTS TO KIND OF, TO KEEP, UH, YOU KNOW, WATER FROM KIND OF MOVING WHERE THEY DON'T WANT IT TO MOVE.
LOTS OF GOOD REASONS TO HAVE COMPOST.
UH, BUT, UM, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S, UH, WHATEVER THE REASON YOU WANT, I'M SURE IT'S A GOOD REASON I FOOD WASTE FACTS AND FIGURES.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR OVER 1.3 MILLION TONS OF FOOD WASTE GETS LANDFILL OR INCINERATED IN THIS STATE EVERY YEAR, IT'S KIND OF SUCKS
THIS IS JUST THE AMOUNT THAT ENDS UP, UH, BEING LANDFILLED OR INCINERATED.
UM, THAT GENERATES ABOUT 1.5 MILLION TONS OF CO2 E.
WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, CO2 EQUIVALENT, WHICH IS ABOUT 350,000 CARS, OR ABOUT 250,000 HO 200,000 HOMES EVERY YEAR.
UH, WE DO HAVE A FOOD WASTE REDUCTION LAW.
ANYONE KNOW THAT? ANYONE HERE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A FOOD WASTE REDUCTION LAW HERE IN THE STATE? A COUPLE OF YOU, RIGHT? SO WE WERE BACK IN 2017, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO, WE SAID WE WERE GONNA REDUCE FOOD WASTE IN THIS STATE BY 50% BY 2030.
HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK WE'VE GONE, WE WE'VE REDUCED IT BY ANYONE, 10%.
ACTUALLY WE HAVE, BUT IT'S GONE UP BY 10%, NOT DOWN BY 10%.
LIKE, SO IT'S, IT IS ACTUALLY, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T BEEN DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF IT.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OUR FAULT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF CITIZENS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO WANT TO HAVE IT.
UM, THE PROBLEM REALLY IS, IS THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE RULE, THE REGS AND THE LAWS IN PLACE TO KIND OF SUPPORT THAT.
UH, SO IF YOU, IF THIS TOWN SAID, HEY, I WANNA PUT A COMPOST FACILITY AND A SMALL COMPOST FACILITY HERE, YOU KNOW, NEXT DOOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DEP WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU NEED A CLASS C PERMIT.
IT'S GONNA, AND BY THE WAY, IT'LL PROBABLY TAKE YOU TWO YEARS, RIGHT? SO THERE WE REALLY DON'T REALLY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT'S NECESSARILY NECESSARY TO KIND OF MAKE THAT, TO TURN THAT INTO, UH, FRUITION.
UM, WE'RE ALSO RUNNING OUTTA LANDFILL SPACE.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE WANT TO COMPOST AND WE SHOULD COMPOST, UH, WE'VE GOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 40% OF WHAT'S EXISTING TODAY IN TERMS OF LANDFILL SPACE IS GONNA BE GONE IN ABOUT 10 YEARS.
UH, TIPPING FEES ARE A HUNDRED DOLLARS A TON IN, IN MOST PLACES HERE OR MORE HERE IN, IN NEW JERSEY.
UM, AND IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE EPA, UH, WASTED FOOD SCALE, IT SAYS, HEY, FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO IS GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE WHO CAN EAT IT, THEN GIVE IT TO SOME ANIMALS TO EAT IT, THEN COMPOST IT.
UH, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE TO ANAEROBIC DIGEST IT, UH, OR DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH IT.
BUT, UM, WE DO A LOT OF LANDFILL HERE IN THE STATE, WHICH IS THE WORST ABSOLUTE THING YOU COULD DO WITH, WITH, UH, WITH FOOD WASTE.
UM, IT'S JUST A GRAPH OF, SO THIS IS MORRIS COUNTY, JUST 'CAUSE I, IT WAS AN EASY GRAPH TO PULL OFF THE INTERNET 2017.
THIS IS THE COST OF, OF TIPPING FEES.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THAT'S GOING.
THAT'S JUST GONNA KEEP GOING UP.
IT IS NOT GONNA COME BACK DOWN.
UM, ANYONE HERE COMPOST TODAY IN THEIR BACKYARD? ALRIGHT, AWESOME.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA DO A WHOLE LOT OF HOME COMPOST.
TALK A LOT ABOUT HOME COMPOSTING.
UH, IF YOU'RE DOING IT, THAT'S GREAT.
IT'S FAIRLY, IT'S FAIRLY EASY TO DO.
UM, I'D SAY IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO HAVE LEAVES IN YOUR BACKYARD, OBVIOUSLY THE 30 FOOT BUFFERS, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT THERE'S VERY, UM, EASY LEAF CORRALS THAT YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER WITH LIKE FENCING.
UH, AND THE, AND THE LEAVE VERY QUICKLY MA DOWN, THEY GET WET.
UM, AND THEY MAKE FOR GREAT, UH, MAKE FOR GREAT COMPOST FILLER.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A MUNICIPALITY, IF YOU WANT TO DO, IF YOU WANT TO DO COMPOSTING, YOU'RE WILLING TO KIND OF TAKE SOME OF THE TIME.
THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN DO IT.
UH, THESE ARE, THESE ARE CALLED PASSIVE PILES.
MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN THOSE, YOU'VE, UH, WORKED WITH THEM, ESSENTIALLY.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THAT WHOLE RON PO PEEL, SET 'EM AND FORGET 'EM OR SET IT AND FORGET IT, RIGHT? YOU JUST KIND OF MAKE A PILE, BROWNS AND GREENS, AND SIX MONTHS LATER YOU'VE GOT COMPOST MAYBE A YEAR LATER.
BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT, IT'LL STILL BECOME COMPOST.
PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY, DO YOU HAVE TO TURN IT? NO ONE TURNS IT IN THE FOREST, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THINGS DO BREAK DOWN OVER TIME.
HOW MUCH YOU, HOW YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH EFFORT YOU WANT TO PUT INTO IT, YOU KNOW, MATTERS.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR WAYS TO DO IT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SPACE AND YOU DON'T, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME.
THIS IS CALLED AERATED STATIC PILES.
AND SO EVERYONE'S PROBABLY FAMILIAR WHERE HAD THEIR KIDS OR BEEN ON A, A BOUNCE HOUSE THEMSELVES.
SO LITERALLY THOSE LITTLE AIR BLOWERS THAT, THAT, UH, BLOW UP THE AIR, THAT BLOW UP BOUNCE HOUSES, YOU CONNECT ONE OF THOSE TO A PVC PIPE THAT'S GOT SOME PERFORATIONS IN IT.
YOU PUT A COUNT, YOU PUT BASICALLY FOOD WASTE AND, UH, OR, OR, OR ANY TYPE OF GREEN WASTE ALONG YOUR BROWNS TOGETHER IN A PILE.
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LITTLE, THAT FAN COMES ON ONCE AN HOUR, MAYBE FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, JUST TO BLOW SOME FRESH AIR THROUGH THAT.UM, OXYGEN IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT COMPOST AND ALL THE LITTLE BUGS AND COMPOST NEED.
UM, AND THAT CAN TAKE YOUR SIX OR ONE YEAR, SIX MONTH, OR ONE YEAR COMPOST PROCESS DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, A MONTH OR TWO.
SO IT'S A, IT BASICALLY ACCELERATES, UH, THE, THE WORK.
UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE QUEENSBURY, UH, QUEENSBORO BRIDGE, UH, IN NEW YORK.
AND THIS TO SHOW, THESE ARE AREA, THESE ARE BUNKERS WITH AERATED STATIC PI PILES IN THEM.
AND THE KIND OF THE IMPORTANCE ABOUT THIS PICTURE IS, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S APARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT AROUND THIS.
AND PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LIKE, OH, FOOD WASTE IS GONNA STINK, AND THIS IS GONNA BE TERRIBLE, AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE WORST, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE RATS.
AND THE POINT JUST IS TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU CAN DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
RIGHT? YOU CAN HAVE BINS THAT ARE ALWAYS CLOSED.
YOU CAN HAVE, YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOUR FOOD WASTE IS ALWAYS COVERED WITH WHAT THEY CALL BIOFILTER, WHICH ESSENTIALLY JUST MEANS WOOD CHIPS OR, YOU KNOW, OR SOIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SOMETHING THAT KEEPS THE, THE, UH, THE, THE, THE ODORS AT BAY.
UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST AN EXAMPLE OF BEING ABLE TO DO IT KIND OF LITERALLY IN A CITY, UH, AND NOT HAVING PROBLEMS. UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IS CALLED IN VESSEL COMPOSTING.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT GOING FROM HIGH SIX MONTHS TO, TO, UH, A YEAR FROM DOWN TO MAYBE TWO TO THREE MONTHS.
YOU CAN DO THAT IN ALMOST TWO WEEKS.
UM, AND IT REALLY JUST ISN'T, IT'S A VERY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE.
UM, THESE MACHINES WILL COST, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, UP TO MAYBE A MIL HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU, ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE PUTTING STUFF IN ON ONE END.
IT EVENTUALLY MAKES ITS WAY TO THE OTHER END, TAKES ABOUT SEVEN TO 10 DAYS.
UH, WHEN IT GOES THROUGH ITS THERMOPHILIC KIND OF, UH, PROCESS WHERE IT HEATS UP, KILLS EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO KILL, EVERYTHING STARTS TO BREAK DOWN.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES OUT, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CURED FOR MAYBE ANOTHER MONTH OR SO.
UH, BUT, UM, IT'S A REALLY NICE CONTROLLED PROCESS.
AIR, AIR GETS INTRODUCED TO IT.
YOU CAN INTRODUCE WATER TO IT AS WELL IF, IF IT'S, IF IT'S TOO DRY.
SO IT'S A REALLY NICE PROCESS.
UM, AND IF YOU, IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ODORS OR, OR JUST OVERLY CONCERNED WHERE YOU JUST KNOW, HEY, NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY, WE HAVE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE GONNA, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THIS AN ISSUE FOR US.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE KIND OF A WAY TO GO.
UM, I DO A LOT OF WORK UP AT, OR I DO SOME WORKUP AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY UP IN NEW BRUNSWICK, AND THIS IS JUST THE INSIDE OF ONE OF THOSE.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S NOT A DRUM THAT'S TURNING.
THIS IS ACTUALLY AN AUGER THAT'S GOING BACK AND FORTH AND UP AND DOWN, UM, KIND OF A BATCH PROCESS.
UM, WE DO HAVE, I MEAN, AS MUCH AS WE ALL WANTED, UM, COMPOST, OR A LOT OF US DO, UH, THERE ARE SOME, UH, BARRIERS.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO EITHER DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, UM, THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT IT, UH, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
UM, THERE'S OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF THE, THE LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE, EVEN IF WE WANT TO DO IT AND DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PLACE TO DO IT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, UH, YOU KNOW, GOT CONTAMINATION.
I MEAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE DO, UM, WISHFUL RECYCLING? DOES ANYONE PUT STUFF IN THEIR RECYCLE BIN THAT THEY WISH THEY COULD RECYCLE, BUT THEY PROBABLY AREN'T SUPPOSED TO PUT IT IN THAT BIN? I MEAN, I DO EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, I KNOW I DO, BUT THE SAME THING KIND OF HAPPENS IN, IN, UH, WITH RECYCLING, WITH, UH, FOOD WASTE RECYCLING.
I'VE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY TELL ME THEY'VE TAKEN A FOIL CUPCAKE WRAPPER AND PUT IT IN THE CUPCAKE BIN, OR PUT IT IN THE, IN THE RE IN THE FOOD WASTE BIN.
AND I'VE BEEN, I WAS LIKE, SO WHY'D YOU PUT THAT THERE? AND THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, IT WAS PART OF THE CUPCAKE.
IT'S LIKE, YES, YOU ARE RIGHT.
IT IS FOIL
SO YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UH, BUT THAT SAID, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE WITHIN THE TOWN.
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, LANDFILLS AND WET LEAF BRUSH FACILITIES AND TRANSFER STATIONS THAT HAVE HEAVY MACHINERY, THAT HAVE BULLDOZERS, THAT HAVE ROADS AND GATES, AND WAYS TO KEEP THINGS SEPARATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN WE DO WANT TO DO A COMPOST PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A TOWN WITHIN MUNICIPALITY, THAT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A LOT OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, RELY ON, UM, AND MOST OF WHICH AREN'T BEING USED 24 7.
AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, IF WE COULD USE THIS PIECE OF MACHINERY FOR AN HOUR A WEEK, YOU KNOW, WOULD THAT WORK? IT'S ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, AND THEN WE'VE ALSO GOT THINGS, YOU KNOW, CONVENIENCE CENTERS IN TOWNS AS WELL, THAT BASICALLY SAY, LOOK, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR TOWN CONVENIENCE CENTER THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LOCKED TO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE YOU HAVE A BIN FOR, YOU KNOW, PLASTICS NUMBER, WHATEVER, OR STYROFOAM.
YOU CAN HAVE ONE FOR FOOD WASTE.
YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT OTHER THAN MAYBE HAVE SOMEONE LIKE KA PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT TO A COMPOST FACILITY.
BUT AT LEAST YOU CAN DO SOMETHING.
AT LEAST YOU CAN HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, COLLECTED, UH, WHICH IS JUST THE FIRST STEP, RIGHT? LET'S GET IT COLLECTED FIRST AND THEN WE'LL WORK, YOU KNOW, WHILE THE REST OF US ARE KIND OF WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, CAN WE COMPOST, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT AS WELL.
AND THE THING FOR THE GRAND IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PICKING, UH, DIVERTING FOOD WASTE FROM YOUR, UM, FROM, FROM THE LANDFILL
[00:25:01]
IS ACTUALLY PART OF THAT WHOLE RECYCLING TONNAGE GRANT PIECE THAT, THAT THE TOWNS HAVE.SO IF YOU, IF YOU'RE RECYCLING FOOD WASTE, IT'S MONEY COMING BACK TO THE TOWN.
IN TERMS OF, UH, TONNAGE GRANT, UM, THERE ARE DEFINITELY PERMITTING AND REGULATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, FROM A, UH, AS WE THINK ABOUT COMPOSTING IN TOWNS, UM, THERE ARE EXEMPTIONS FOR THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY GARDENS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA DO SOME ONSITE RECYCLING OF THE KIND OF, OF THE VEGETATIVE MATERIAL THAT'S IN YOUR COMMUNITY GARDEN, YOU CAN DO THAT.
YOU CAN USE IT, YOU CAN MAKE IT, YOU CAN TURN THE, YOU CAN TAKE THE VEGETATIVE WASTE, YOU CAN COMPOST IT, YOU CAN USE IT ON SITE.
YOU CAN EVEN TAKE THAT COMPOST AND TAKE IT OFFSITE, RIGHT? YOU CAN ALSO DO, UH, EXCEPTION 21 SAYS YOU CAN DO, OH, WELL, THAT'S, I GUESS THAT'S THAT PIECE YOU CAN DO, YOU CAN TAKE THAT RECYCLING OR THAT COMPOST AND USE IT OFFSITE.
WHAT YOU CAN'T DO IN THE COMMUNITY GARDEN IS TAKE FOOD WASTE THAT CAME FROM OFFSITE, COMPOST IT, AND THEN TAKE THAT OFFSITE.
NOW THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PER, THAT'S A CLASS C PERMIT, AND THAT'S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND WHOLE LOT, YOU KNOW, AND ALL KINDS OF TIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT THAT SAID, THE, THE DEP DOES HAVE AN RD AND D PERMIT, WHICH IS A RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION PERMIT, UH, WHICH SHORTENS THAT UP A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS COSTLY AND ALLOWS TOWNS TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA TRY SOMETHING, UH, TO SEE IF IT WORKS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT THE CONVENIENCE CENTER, TRANSFER STATION, SAME KIND OF THINGS.
YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN THE DEFINITIONS OF OF, OF 7 26, UM, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO HERE WITHIN OUR TOWNS, UM, IN TERMS OF GETTING STARTED, IF YOU'RE A TOWN AND YOU GUYS ARE A TOWN, UH, THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS YOU CAN DO.
AND THE NJCC IS HERE TO HELP, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU, IF YOU WANT A PILOT PROGRAM, UH, IF YOU WANNA HELP WITH, YOU KNOW, DESIGNING SOMETHING, GETTING SOMETHING STARTED, UH, IF YOU SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST, WE HEARD WHAT KATIE'S DOING HERE LOCALLY.
UM, HOW DO WE KIND OF GET SOMETHING TO HER? YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP, WE CAN HELP DESIGN KIND OF A PICKUP PROGRAM, UH, OR DROP OFF PROGRAM SO THAT FOLKS LIKE KATIE, YOU KNOW, CAN COME IN AND KIND OF, AND HELP, YOU KNOW, START A COMPOST KIND OF PROGRAM HERE IN TOWN.
UM, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT EDUCATION, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT HOW DO WE KEEP THINGS CLEAN, IF YOU'RE WORRIED, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING A PRESENTATION LIKE THIS TO A LARGER, YOU KNOW, A LARGER AUDIENCE, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
AND IF YOU GOT, IF, IF YOU MAKE SO MUCH THAT YOU WANT TO SELL IT, WE CAN HELP THERE TOO.
I, I, I WAS TELLING KATIE, I USED TO, BEFORE I WAS DOING THIS, I HAD MY OWN COMPOST, UM, OR FOOD WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAM IN HOPEWELL.
UM, AND I, WE CLOSED IT DOWN ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND, UH, I STILL GETTING CALLS TODAY ASKING ME TO, HEY, CAN I, CAN I DROP OFF COMPOST? LIKE, SORRY, CAN'T DO IT.
SO THAT'S THE NICKEL TOUR OF WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, OF WHAT COMPOSTING IS ALL ABOUT.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, AS, AS I MENTIONED TO SOMEONE EARLIER, I CAN TALK FOR HOURS ON THIS, UM, WHICH I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT ME TO DO, BUT THE POINT IS IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, YES.
YOU REFERRED TO KATIE A COUPLE OF TIMES.
PLEASE TELL THE ROOM WHO KATIE IS AND WHAT SHE DOES HERE.
AND WE'LL COME BACK TO QUESTIONS.
I'LL LET KATIE SPEAK FIRST HERSELF, SHE'S RIGHT THERE.
I'M KATIE ERY FROM GARDEN STATE COMPOSTING, AND WE HAVE A POSTAL COLLECTION SERVICE.
OUR OFFICE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND WE SERVICE, UM, HAMILTON COUNTY,
WE DO, UM, COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, UM, AND BOTH MUNICIPAL SOON, UM, WILL HAPPEN.
AND, UM, YEAH, SO WE MAKE EASY TO COMPOST, PICKUP AND BACKYARD.
AND THIS IS HER LOVELY TABLE RIGHT HERE.
AND, UH, THERE ARE A FEW PAMPHLETS THERE THAT, FOR THE NEW JERSEY COMPOST COUNCIL AS WELL, IF YOU, IF YOU WANT THEM.
YES, IT IS, IT'S ONE OF MY PASSIONS.
AND IF ANYONE IN THE ROOM DOESN'T KNOW, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE AND OUR GREEN TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON, EILEEN, IS IT THREE YEARS NOW? THREE MAYBE THREE PLUS.
FOR WHAT? FOR THE T TREX RECYCLING CHALLENGE.
SO, SO THE T TREX COMPANY TAKES TRADITIONALLY NON-RECYCLABLE, STRETCHY KIND OF PLASTIC, AND I LEAN AND FOREIGN INTO ME OF THIS SOME YEARS AGO.
AND SURE, I'LL COLLECT SOME PLASTIC AND GET A FREE BENCH FOR MEDFORD.
UM, WE'RE OVER 6,000 POUNDS COLLECTED SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THAT'S IN MINE OR DEB'S CAR AND OR BRIAN'S TRUCK ON ANY ONE DAY.
UM, TO TELL YOU HOW PEOPLE, ONCE THE, IT'S EDUCATION.
IT'S EDUCATION, IT'S MAKING IT EASY ONCE PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND, UM, MY PLACE OF BUSINESS IS KIND OF LIKE THE FINAL STOP ON ITS WAY TO THE RECYCLING CENTER.
UM, AND IT WAS MY TURN TO SIGN UP.
WE HAVE ONE YEAR TO RAISE A THOUSAND POUNDS OF THIS PLASTIC, AND WE HAVE FOUR
[00:30:01]
SPOTS WHERE WE DROP IT OFF, INCLUDING THE TOWNSHIP BUILDING, BUT WHERE THE LIBRARY IS.SO MY THOUSAND POUNDS STARTED JANUARY 15TH, 2025.
I HAVE LESS THAN 200 POUNDS TO GO.
I PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 110 POUNDS IN MY BACK ROOM RIGHT NOW.
SO PRETTY SOON I'LL BE DOWN TO 80 POUNDS.
AND THAT'S THE RESIDENTS, THAT'S THE NONPROFITS.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE SENIOR CENTER, THE WOMEN'S CLUB.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY AN AMAZING COLLABORATION AND WE'RE KEEPING ALL OF THAT PLASTIC, WHICH MAKES OUR NEXT GUEST VERY HAPPY OUT OF THE THE YARD HERE IN MEDFORD.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, WHO'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN FOR ME TO TORTURE, I MEAN, TO WORK WITH, UH, AND TO E EVERY DAY.
I THINK HE'S AFRAID TO LOOK AT MY EMAILS 'CAUSE I HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK ABOUT DOING.
IT'S, IT'S MY JOB TO KEEP HIM BUSY.
SO, LIKE PAULA SAID, I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES IN MEDFORD.
I'VE BEEN IN MEDFORD SINCE AUGUST OF 2023.
BEEN INVOLVED IN PUBLIC WORKS FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, UH, HEAVY CONSTRUCTION FOR 15 PLUS.
UM, WORKED AT LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP IN OSHA COUNTY BEFORE I CAME HERE.
VERY HAPPY TO COME TO MEDFORD.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.
UH, SO I'M THE RECYCLING COORDINATOR AS WELL, THE SAFETY COORDINATOR FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND THE STORM WATER COORDINATOR.
SO ON TOP OF THOSE JOBS, PAUL IS MY FOURTH, UH, BOSS IN TOWN,
WE, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF THINGS ROLLING AND, AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP GOING WITH THE, THE COMPOSTING THING WE'RE LOOKING INTO NOW.
UM, WE, WE DO HAVE A, A COMPOST SITE.
WE ARE LICENSED THROUGH DEP TO COMPOST.
SO WE, WE HAVE A FULL FLEDGED, UH, PERMIT.
SO, UM, WE DO COMPOST ALL THE LEAVES THAT ARE COLLECTED IN TOWN THERE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO EXPAND INTO SOME FOOD WASTE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE IT, IT DEFINITELY HELPED TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE LANDFILL.
UM, MEDFORD OVERALL DOES REALLY WELL WHEN IT COMES TO RECYCLING.
THE STATE'S GOAL, THE D P'S GOAL IS 60%, UH, RECYCLING AS A, AS A GOAL.
AND I THINK LAST YEAR WE WERE AT 61% OVERALL IN THE TIME.
SO WE'RE HITTING THE STATE'S GOAL.
THE, THE, THE STATE OVERALL IS NOT HITTING THAT GOAL, BUT US HERE IN MEDFORD, WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY HITTING IT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RECENTLY WORKED ON TOGETHER WAS ADOPT A DRAIN PROGRAM THROUGH THE STORMWATER.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA TOUCH ON TODAY.
SO WE JUST RECENTLY LAUNCHED IT, IT'S AVAILABLE NOW TO ALL THE RESIDENTS WITHIN TOWN.
YOU GO ONTO AN INTERACTIVE, IT'S EITHER A WEB-BASED, UH, APPLICATION OR, OR YOU CAN DO IT ON A MOBILE PHONE.
AND RESIDENTS CAN GO TO A STORM DRAIN THAT'S NEARBY WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY LIVE, THAT THEY MIGHT FREQUENT BY ON THEIR WALKS WITH THEIR DOG OR WHATEVER.
AND THEY CAN INSPECT THAT STORM DRAIN, CLEAN THE TOP OF IT OFF, OBVIOUSLY NOT OPEN IT.
AND, UH, YOU CAN IDENTIFY THAT STUFF ON THERE AND YOU'RE JUST, YOU'RE JUST AGREEING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT STORM DRAIN AS IN AN EFFORT TO HELP WITH STORM WATER.
SO THIS, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE APPLICATION HERE.
UM, SO WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS YOU, YOU WOULD CREATE A LOGIN.
YOU WOULD GO ONTO THIS AND YOU CAN EITHER TYPE IN AN ADDRESS OR YOU CAN DRAG A PIN TO WHERE YOU WANT TO DO IT.
SO I WILL, UH, KIND OF WALK THROUGH IT HERE.
SO I'M ACTUALLY GONNA ADOPT A STORM DRAIN IN FRONT OF OUR OFFICE AND I'LL, SO YOU CAN TYPE IN THE ADDRESS SO THERE'S NO DRAINS FOUND.
THE REASON WHY THAT'S GONNA POP UP IS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T UPLOADED ALL THE GIS DATA THAT WE'RE STILL CURRENTLY GOING OUT AND COLLECTING.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE GPS LOCATIONS TO ALL THE STORM DRAINS.
SO IT'LL PULL UP AN ADDRESS, BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO ACTUALLY DROP THE PIN FOR THE, FOR THE DRAIN ITSELF.
SO YOU WOULD SELECT ADD ONE HERE, AND THEN THIS RED PIN WILL POP UP AND YOU'LL ACTUALLY GRAB THE MAP AND CENTER IT ON WHERE THAT DRAIN IS.
SO, WE'LL THAT'S RIGHT WHERE IT IS.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE BRIAN'S DRAIN.
AND THEN YOU WOULD SELECT, I UNDERSTAND BY A I ADDING THIS DRAIN, I'M ALSO ADOPTING IT, IT IS YOURS NOW.
[00:35:02]
YOU CAN FREE THEM LATER ON.NOW THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO PERMANENT COMMITMENT TO IT.
I MEAN, WE HOPE THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO ENGAGE WITH THIS THING.
UM, SO THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL IT TAKES, THAT THEY'RE GONNA ACTUALLY GO OUT AND CLEAN THE DRAINS.
UM, IT DOES HELP US FOR OUR, OUR YEARLY, EVERY YEAR I HAVE TO SUBMIT A, A REPORT TO DEP THAT GOES OVER ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DID FOR THE STORM WATER PROGRAM.
AND, UH, DRAIN INSPECTIONS HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THEM.
THEY, THEY WANT US TO LOOK AT ALL DRAINS WITHIN A YEAR AND TO, UH, CLEAN AT LEAST 50% OF HER INVENTORY.
SO ALL THIS COUNTS TOWARDS THAT.
AND PAULA ALREADY ADOPTED ONE AND I CAN SEE IT IN, IN THE, IN THIS SYSTEM THROUGH THE ADMIN PORTION.
WE CAN GO ON THERE AND I CAN PULL ALL THAT DATA AND INCLUDE IT IN WITH THE STORMWATER REPORT.
AND WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS, IS WHEN YOU DO ADOPT THE DRAIN, AND HOPEFULLY I ORDERED ENOUGH WELCOME PACKETS.
UM, I HAVE A FEELING THAT THAT'S GONNA GO REALLY FAST SO WE CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE.
BUT WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS, IS ADOPT A DRAIN WILL ACTUALLY MAIL YOU OUT A, UH, A SIGN THAT YOU CAN PUT OUT IN FRONT OF YOUR YARD.
AND THEN THERE'S A WELCOME LETTER THAT'LL GO OVER KIND OF THE STEPS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN TAKING CARE OF THAT DRAIN AND, AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
AND, UM, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GO INSPECT IT.
SOMETHING HERE, YOU WOULD GO TO MY ADOPTED DRAINS WHEN YOU'RE ON HERE.
AND WHERE'S THE BRIAN'S DRAIN? YEAH, BUT I WANT TO CLICK ON IT.
I'M, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, BY TAKING A LITTLE BIT TO UPDATE YEAH.
IT MIGHT NOT BE UPDATED BECAUSE THAT'S THE YEAH, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THEY'LL CONFIRM THE DRAIN, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IN THE AREA, IN THE TOWNSHIP AND IN THE, IN, WITHIN OUR MAPPING AREA.
AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT AND ACTUALLY DO A, A, A, UM, INSPECTION OF IT.
WE, WE JUST BROUGHT THIS ONLINE, WHAT, A WEEK AGO? A WEEK AGO? YEAH.
SO LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT DONE BEFORE.
UM, BUT IT, YEAH, IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD THING.
'CAUSE I HAD SEEN IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S DRAINS THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, I TOOK A QUARTER POUND OF LEAVES AND REMOVED A SODA BOTTLE FROM THE DRAIN ON THIS DATE.
AND THEN THAT WILL AGGREGATE TO, TO BRIAN'S REPORT FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IF I LOOK DOWN THERE AND I SEE SOMEBODY HAS STUFFED SOMETHING IN THE DRAIN, I CAN ALERT HIM AND HE CAN PUT IT ON THE, THE WORK LIST FOR SOMEONE TO GO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA IMPACT ON A DRAIN CLOCK.
ESPECIALLY DAMAGE THAT MAY HAPPEN TO 'EM.
SOME OF THESE DRAINS ARE 50 YEARS OLD AND SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY MAY NEED SOME, SOME LOOKING AT
SO, UM, YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT, DOCTOR.
DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS THE CLEAN COMMUNITIES AS WELL? YEAH, SO, UM, OUR CLEAN COMMUNITIES COORDINATOR, WHAT'S GONNA COME, SHE HAD SOME VEHICLE TROUBLE, SO SHE'S NOT HERE.
UM, NEXT YEAR EVERYBODY'S AWARE IS THAT 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES OR SO THERE'S GONNA BE A BIG COUNTRYWIDE COMMUNITY CLEANUP, UH, KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL AS A, AS A BIG INITIATIVE THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING NEXT YEAR.
SO, UH, LOOK, LOOK TO OUR TOWN WEBSITE.
WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING SOME THINGS OUT ABOUT THAT.
AND UH, KI KIM'S AVAILABLE ON THERE.
HER HER CONTACT INFORMATION'S ON THERE AS WELL.
SHE'S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW PROJECTS TO DO AND, AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, COMMUNITY CLEANUPS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S AREAS THAT, THAT GET OVER UNCLEANED.
AND THEN THERE'S OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN UNIDENTIFIED THAT SHOULD PROBABLY BE, UH, BE LOOKED AT AND HOAS CAN GET INVOLVED.
I KNOW THE SCOUTS ARE VERY HEAVY IN TOWN.
UM, SO, SO THAT'S DEFINITELY ALL AVAILABLE.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT.
SO, SO I'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT WEBSITE AND MM-HMM
THAT'S HAVE, I ACTUALLY, I'VE, I'VE ENJOYED A LOT.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE OPENED MY EYES TO A LOT MORE OF THIS STUFF, YOU KNOW, I, BEING IN HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, RECYCLING AND, AND MAYBE STORM WATER.
IT WASN'T AT THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND.
AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.
WE'VE BEEN LEARNING A LOT, SO.
ALRIGHT, MATTHEW AND TOM, COULD I ASK YOU TO COME BACK UP AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE GROUP FOR ANY OF OUR EXPERTS? ALRIGHT.
GIVE THEM A MOMENT TO GET HERE.
AND WHO IS YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE FOR MR. POLONE? MY QUESTION IS FOR MR. CO.
WHAT, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE TIME OF TIME COMMITMENT ONCE YOU ADOPT DRAIN? 'CAUSE I, I CAN IMAGINE YOU ARE GONNA BE WORRIED THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE
SO I BELIEVE THAT'S EVEN DISCUSSED IN THE, MY TIME COMMITMENTS HAVE CHANGED.
CAN I UN ADOPT THE OH NO, THERE WE GO.
[00:40:01]
HA IT'S FROM, IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN.FROM THE TRAINING THAT I HAVE, UH, WITH THIS, UH, AND OUR DISCUSSIONS, IT'S WHAT YOU DO.
THEY JUST ASK THAT FROM TIME TO TIME THAT YOU INSPECT IT.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT ESPECIALLY LIKE AFTER A STORM MM-HMM
IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU WOULD GO BY, I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING, I KNOW THAT ED, UH,
IT'S BETTER TO DO IT ACTUALLY BEFORE THE STORM.
'CAUSE THEN IT PROMOTES THE DRAINAGE, RIGHT.
UM, SO THAT THEY DRAIN BETTER.
THE, THE, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY WE, WE HAVE A PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
IT'S, IT'S OUR, IT'S THE TOWNSHIP'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEAN THESE THINGS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE ARE RESIDENTS OUT THERE WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
POLA, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW,
SO I THINK, I THINK THE MAIN OBJECTIVE IS PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, SAY, SAY IT'S A, AN HOA OR, OR SOME CIVIC ORGANIZATION, UH, TO ADOPT THE DRAINS THAT, THAT ARE NEAR TO THEIR, TO THEIR HOMES OR, OR THEIR COMMUNITY AREAS THAT THEY'RE GONNA SEE ALL THE TIME THAT THEY'RE GONNA SEE ON THEIR DRIVE TO DROP THEIR KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL OR TO, YOU KNOW, RUN OUT TO, TO RUN ERRANDS OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST STOP BY.
IT'S, IT'S MAYBE TWO OR THREE MINUTES TO LOOK AT IT.
IT TAKES NO TIME TO UPLOAD IT ON THE, ON THE SYSTEM.
AND, UM, IT, YOU JUST, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE DEBRIS YOU NEED TO COLLECT.
SO IT, BUT MOST, AND, AND DISPOSE OF APPROPRIATELY.
IF, AND IF YOU STAY ON TOP OF IT, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE MUCH ON, ON TOP OF THAT DRAIN TO WORRY ABOUT.
AND, AND YOU'LL BE GOOD TO GO.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TED? UH, COMPOSTING, WHEN YOU SAY FOOD WASTE, I ASSUME THAT IS ONLY VEGETABLE FOOD WASTE, NOT ANIMAL.
DEPENDS WHERE YOU'RE COMPOSTING.
IF YOU'RE IN BACK IN YOUR BACKYARD, I'D SAY THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA.
BUT IF YOU'RE DOING COMPOSTING OR IF IT'S A DROP OFF SITE THAT'S GONNA BE TAKEN TO AN INDUSTRIAL COMPOSTER THAT GROWS, IT GOES, I MEAN, YEAH.
WILL YOU TAKE, UH, WHAT, DEPENDING UPON WHERE IT GOES? YES.
I MEAN, LIKE, I MEAN THE THREE PERMITTED COMPOSTING FACILITIES HERE, OR RECYCLING FACILITIES HERE IN THE STATE IS AG CHOICE, WHICH DOES THOSE LONG WIND ROWS.
AND THE TWO, UM, ANAEROBIC DIGESTERS, ONE TRENTON RENEWABLES AND ONE UP IN, UH, THE CORE FACILITY FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT UP IN NORTH JERSEY.
UM, ALSO WILL TAKE ESSENTIALLY ANYTHING.
UM, I MEAN YOU MENTIONED WOOD CHIPS, BUT WHAT ABOUT MULCH? IS THERE ANYONE PARTICULARLY BETTER THAN THE OTHER OR, UH, NOW, I MEAN, MULCH ACTUALLY, UH, FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THAT ZERO TO FIVE FEET, SO THE ACTUAL, THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT'S JUST COMING INTO EFFECT APRIL 15TH FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PUT MULCH WITHIN ZERO TO FIVE FEET OF THE EDGE OF YOUR BUILDING.
SO, UM, MULCH MULCH IS GREAT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE A PROBLEM WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE THESE DRY PERIODS AND, AND YOU DO HAVE FIRE EVENTS GOING ON.
BUT IF YOU KEEP IT WATERED, YOU KNOW, REASONABLY WATERED, IT'S FAIRLY SAFE AND, AND OKAY TO HAVE.
BUT THEY ARE DISCOURAGING AROUND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS 'CAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, CIGARETTE FIRES AND STUFF LIKE THAT THAT HAVE OCCURRED CLOSE TO STEPS AND CLOSE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF, UH, A, UH, YOU KNOW, STEPPING AREA WHERE YOU GO INTO A BUILDING AND STUFF LIKE THAT WHERE CIGARETTES HAVE BEEN DROPPED DOWN AND STUFF.
NICOLE FIRST, ARE THERE NOTICES THAT ARE PUT OUT, LIKE DURING RED FLAG WARNINGS ABOUT THESE SORTS OF THINGS AND HOMEOWNERS AND HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR HOMES? YES.
IF YOU, IF YOU GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE, THERE'S DAILY UPDATES AS, AS TO THE FIRE DANGER, NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE, UM, DEP IT'S ON FACEBOOK PAGE.
IT'S ON FACEBOOK PAGE AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN LOOK ON NEW JERSEY, UH, WRAP AND IT'LL TELL YOU ALL, ALL THE INFORMATION TO DO WITH WILDFIRES IN THE CURRENT DANGER.
IVE, AND THEN IVE, AND THEN DEPUTY, UM, ON THE COMPOSTING, UM, I KNOW, UH, WHERE I WORSHIP, WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHATEVER, UH, BRUNCHES AND STUFF AND OUR MEN'S CLUB WENT OUT AND BOUGHT ALL THIS COMPOSTABLE FLATWARE OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IT ALL GOES INTO A PLASTIC BAG WHERE IT'S NEVER GETTING COMPOSTED AND IT'S NOT REALLY COMPOSTABLE LOCALLY, I DON'T BELIEVE.
I THINK IT HAS TO GO TO AN, AN INDUSTRIAL COMPOSTER.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PAYING ALL THIS MONEY TO HAVE THIS, THINK YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING WONDERFUL AND IT'S
[00:45:01]
REALLY JUST ADDING TO THE MESSIT, IT MAKES SOME PEOPLE FEEL A BIT BETTER, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S, UM, I MEAN, UNLESS, UNLESS THERE'S A A REAL PLACE FOR IT TO GO AND BE COMPOSTED, IT'S ENDING UP EXACTLY WHERE EVERYTHING ELSE IS BEING IS GOING.
COMPOSTING DOESN'T NECESSARILY, YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY DO IT.
THAT SAID, THERE IS A COMPANY THAT JUST, UM, DOES TERRACYCLE TAKE THOSE KIND OF THINGS WITH THEIR EVERYTHING BOX? NO, BUT, UM, THERE IS A COMPANY, UM, THAT, UH, THAT JUST CAME HERE, JUST GOT IN HERE IN NEW JERSEY, UM, CLASS TECH PLASTECH.
AND THEY, AND THEIR, THEIR PRODUCTS THEY SAY ARE HOME COMPOSTABLE AND THEY'RE CERTIFIED HOME COMPOSTABLE BY THE EUROPEAN, UM, CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
IF YOU CAN'T FIND THEM, YOU CAN REACH BACK OUT TO ME BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY ARE A MEMBER OF OURS AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME OF THEIR FLYERS.
SO, SO A FULL STACK, THERE'S LIKE A COUPON PUT ON THERE, SO IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED, WE CAN GRAB TED.
TOM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, FOREST FIRES.
MY, MY NEIGHBOR TOOK TO GOING AND MOVING ALL THE BRUSH IN AN OPEN SPACE NEAR, NEAR US.
AND THEN HE LEFT THIS, THE BRUSH, ABBY GAVE CLEAR CUT IT, HE LEFT THE TREES, BUT THE LOW GROWING BRUSH, HE TOOK THAT DOWN AND THEN LEFT IT THERE.
AND THAT SEEMED TO BE MORE OF A RISK BECAUSE IT WAS NOW DROP AND TIMBER.
IS THAT TRUE? OR? THAT IS TRUE, YEAH.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT WANNA HAVE A CONVERSATION.
ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS ON OPEN SPACE PROPERTY OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OTHERWISE, IF IT WAS ON, YOU KNOW, TOWNSHIP AND WE COULD WORK TOGETHER WITH BRIAN, FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO GET IT PICKED UP AND TAKEN CARE OF.
SO WHEN THERE IS NA NATURALLY TREES FALL, THERE'S A LOT OF BRUSH, THERE'S A LOT OF STICKS, WHATEVER.
AND YOU THAT PROBLEMATIC THAT AS A GROUP, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MIGHT WANNA GET TOGETHER AND WE, WE ARE REGULATED ON WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO ON A LOT OF THAT OPEN SPACE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S WETLANDS, LIKE WET VEGETATION, WE CAN REMOVE ESPECIALLY DEAD FAULT.
UM, DDPI KNOW YOU DO, THEY DO LIKE TO PRESCRIBE BURN, BUT REMOVING A LOT OF THAT STUFF TAKES A LOT OF THE NUTRIENTS OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
AND IT TAKES AWAY, YOU KNOW, LIVING SPACE FOR SALAMANDERS, INSECTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO CERTAIN AREAS WE CAN'T BALANCE.
IT, IT, IT NEEDS TO, YEAH, WE NEED TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE.
SO
SO YOU DON'T WANT EVERY DEAD TREE TO COME DOWN AND ALL THAT.
IT'S, IT IS A BALANCE HABITAT.
UM, I THINK THIS QUESTION'S FOR TO, UM, I'M A NEW OF BENFORD RESIDENT AND I CLEARED MOST OF MY LEAVES IN THE FALL, WHICH IS WHEN I MOVED IN.
UH, I DIDN'T THE DISTANCE FROM MY HOUSE, SO I STILL HAVE LEAVES IN MY YARD.
DO THEY PICK UP THE LEAVES IN THE FALL? OH YEAH.
WE ONLY DO FALL COLLECTION IN TOWN.
WE DO, IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN DO IN, WE HAVE A RESIDENT RECYCLING CENTER OFF OF, UH, COMMONWEALTH DRIVE AND UH, WE, WE TAKE 'EM THERE SEVEN OR FIVE DAYS A WEEK, SO, UH, SO I, YEAH, YOU COULD BRING 'EM THERE IF YOU, IF YOU WANT, I, I'LL MEET WITH YOU AFTER AND I'LL GIVE YOU ALL MY CONTACT INFORMATION AND I, I'LL LET YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE YOU THE ADDRESS.
I CAN SEND YOU THE, THE DETAILS OF WHERE THAT LOCATION IS.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALICE? I HAVE BACK TO THE COMPOSTABLE ON THE CURRENT SAYS COMPOSTABLE ON THEM, THE CURING CUPS.
WE, IT SAYS ON SOME OF THEM, SOME OF THE BRANDS SAY IT'S COMPOSTABLE, BUT I THINK IT MAY BE ONLY THROUGH COMMERCIAL PLACES.
SO THE, THE, THE COFFEE GROUNDS ARE COMPOSTABLE.
I MEAN, I KNOW THAT LIKE, SO, SO AG CHOICE UP IN NORTH JERSEY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY LIKE THE, I THINK ALMOST, I DUNNO IF THEY'RE THE NATIONAL RECYCLER FOR THOSE CURRY CUPS, BUT THEY BRING IN LIKE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS OF THOSE CUPS.
THEY BREAK THEM OPEN, THEY COMPOST THE, THE UH, THE DRY, THE COFFEE GROUNDS.
AND THEN MOST OF THOSE CUPS, UH, THEY THEN RECYCLE OR, OR THEY SEND THEM OFF TO BE RECYCLED.
BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN, IT'S INTERESTING, I HAVE NOT YET SEEN THAT.
I'LL I'LL HAVE TO LOOK FOR THAT.
BUT AGAIN, I WOULD NEVER PUT THAT IN MY HOME COMPOST BIN BECAUSE IT'S NEVER GONNA GET HOT ENOUGH TO COMPO TO COMPOST THAT.
WE JUST, UH, HAD OUR BURLINGTON COUNTY, UH, RECYCLING COORDINATORS MEETING.
AND THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH, UH, COMPANIES MARKETING THINGS AS COMPOSTABLE OR RECYCLABLE, UM, THAT AREN'T SO LIKE HEFTY, NOT TO NAME THE BRAND, BUT
[00:50:01]
HOW DO YOU FEEL? THEY FLUSHABLE WIPES.
'CAUSE SO I DO DO UTILITIES AS WELL.
NOW GETTING STARTED ON THE FLUSHABLE WIPES.
UM, THEY, THEY CLAIM THAT THEY'RE RECYCLABLE AND WHILE THEY MAY BE MADE OF MATERIALS THAT ARE RECYCLABLE ON SOME MARKETS, THE WAY THAT THAT BURLINGTON COUNTY, FOR INSTANCE, IN MOST AREAS DO SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING, THERE ARE A HUGE DETRIMENT TO THE, TO THE MURPH, WHICH IS THE SORTING FACILITY.
THEY HAVE THIS EQUIPMENT THAT HAS THESE, UH, AUGERS THAT TURN AND THE BAGS GET TIED UP IN THERE AND THEY CAUSE HUGE PROBLEMS. THEY SHUT DOWN THE LINE, THEN THEY'VE GOT 30 EMPLOYEES NOT WORKING, NOTHING'S GETTING SORTED.
THEY HAVE TO GO IN THERE MANUALLY.
AND IT'S VERY LABORIOUS TO CUT OUT ALL THAT PLASTIC TO GET THE MACHINE BACK UP AND RUNNING.
AND IT'S, IT'S AN EDUCATION THING.
LIKE WE, WE ALWAYS COMES BACK TO EDUCATION WITH ALL THESE THINGS, UM, TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE KNOW THEY'RE GOING OUT AS A CONSUMER AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SEEING, OH, THIS IS RECYCLING AND THEY'RE THINKING, DOING THE RIGHT THING.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY, I MEAN, THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO LOOK AT THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE OR, OR OUR WEBSITE OR REACH OUT TO ME AND I CAN GIVE YOU A LIST OF, OF WHAT ACTUALLY IS RECYCLABLE.
THEY DID TALK ABOUT THOSE K-CUPS AND IT'S ANOTHER MISMARKETING THING WHERE THE GROUNDS INSIDE ARE COMPO COMPOSTABLE, BUT THE THE PLASTIC OUTSIDE THE FOIL TOP ARE, ARE NOT, THEY'RE RECYCLABLE.
AND LIKE, JUST FROM AN EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE, UM, BIODEGRADABLE, COMPOSTABLE ARE NOT THE SAME THING, RIGHT? EVERYTHING THAT'S COMPOSTABLE IS BIODEGRADABLE, BUT EVERYTHING THAT'S BIODEGRADABLE IS NECESSARILY COMPOSTABLE.
SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE THINGS JUST TO, AS YOU KIND OF LEARN, AS YOU KIND OF GET DEEPER INTO ALL THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BRIAN? COMPOSTING QUESTION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE OR THOUGHTS ON WORK COMPOSTING
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF UNIVERSITIES I'VE SEEN DO IT.
UH, I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY DONE IT.
WHILE WE WERE TRYING IT, WE WERE GONNA SET, WE WERE GONNA TRY TO SET SOMETHING UP.
I MEAN, THEY DO, THEY DO A GREAT JOB FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ AND HEARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY'RE A LIVING ORGANISM, RIGHT? AND SO THEY, THEY TAKE, YOU GOTTA BE ON THEM AND YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THEY GET THE RIGHT THINGS AND NOT THE WRONG THINGS.
UM, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN KILL THEM IF YOU'RE, BUT FROM, FROM EVERYTHING I'VE, I'VE READ AND HEARD, I MEAN, THE CASTINGS THAT YOU CAN KIND OF HARVEST AND USE IS, IS KIND OF ESSENTIALLY A, A FERTILIZER OR COMPOST.
IT'S ALL REALLY GOOD STUFF FOR, FOR THE SOIL.
BUT I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT DONE IT, BRIAN, BUT I CAN PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE.
OH, HE, IT, BRIAN, BRIAN COULD GIVE YOU SOME RED WAVERS.
I, I ACTUALLY, LAST YEAR THIS THING, I DID A WHOLE PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT, BUT I WAS CURIOUS IF THAT LIKE, FACTORED INTO ANY PLANS FOR LIKE STATEWIDE CENTERS FOR THOSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE LIKE TO SAY AT THE NJCC IS WE'RE COMPLETELY AGNOSTIC ABOUT HOW YOU COMPOST.
LIKE, AND SO IF SOMEONE WAS LIKE, HEY, WE WANNA DO A RED, A RED WIGGLER FACILITY, AWESOME.
WE WILL, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO HELP YOU AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE CAN, I MEAN, IF I, IF I DON'T KNOW SOMETHING, I WILL BRING SOMEONE IN WHO DOES? I'LL BRING YOU IN TO HELP SOMEBODY.
UM, I CAN ALWAYS SAY THAT WE'D BE, WE'D LOVE IT IF SOMEONE WAS LIKE, WAS, WAS KIND OF SCALING THAT UP AND, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT IN A, IN A WAY THAT COULD BE, UH, THAT A TOWN COULD DO.
ED, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? NO, NO.
ANYBODY ELSE CAN I EXPECT TO SEE ALL ON SATURDAY AT FREEDOM PARK? BETWEEN 8:00 AM AND NOON.
JUST A HEADS UP THAT IT'S ALSO, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WE'RE DOING THE SUNDANCE FOR THE, UH, MEDFORD VINCENT TOWN ROTARY EASTER EGG HUNT FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND THE WOMEN'S CLUB OF MEDFORD COMMUNITY-WIDE YARD SALE.
YOU CAN SIGN UP AFTER SEVEN O'CLOCK, $20 FOR A TABLE.
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PACK UP WHEN YOU GO HOME.
ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T SELL, YOU COULD PUT IN THE DONATION TRUCK.
UM, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT, UH, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, WE LOVE TO BE VERY INTERACTIVE.
THEY MEET ON A SEPARATE NIGHT, AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
AND I JUST, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL COME UP AND SEE SOME INFORMATION, TALK TO SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE PART OF OUR COMMITTEE.
I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR US COMING TONIGHT AND FOR BEING HERE FOR MEDFORD.
AND, UH, THANK YOU INVITE AND THANK YOU.