Recycling Coordinators Meeting

Hello, fellow recyclers! I hope you are ready to learn more about the latest news and updates from the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority (MCMUA). In this blog post, I will share with you some of the highlights from the MCMUA’s January 31, 2024 meeting, where we had the opportunity to hear from some amazing speakers and experts on various topics related to recycling. Let’s dive in!

The meeting started with my District Recycling Coordinator’s Welcome Message and summary of the upcoming meeting and year, followed by presentations from our own MCMUA staff. First, we had Maura Toomey, our Assistant District Recycling Coordinator, who spoke about our Municipal Recycling Coordinators Page Updates and Tips for the Tonnage Grant Process. She showed us how to access and use the new online resources and tools that we have created to help you with your recycling programs and reporting. She also gave us some useful tips and best practices on how to prepare and submit your tonnage grant applications for 2024.

Next, we had Brianna Cumberton, our Recycling Program Outreach Coordinator, who spoke about our review of last year’s municipal recycling tonnage grant reports. She shared with us some of the impressive achievements and challenges that our municipalities faced in filing last year’s reports, as well as some of the feedback and recommendations that we have provided to help you improve your recycling performance and compliance. She also highlighted some of the shortfalls as well as success stories and best practices that we have observed from some of our municipalities.

Finally, we had Erin Jensen, Environmental Specialist for the NJDEP, who spoke about the 2023 Tonnage Reporting Process. She explained the requirements and deadlines for submitting your tonnage reports to the NJDEP, as well as the benefits and incentives that you can receive for doing so. She also answered some of the frequently asked questions and common issues that you may encounter when filling out your reports.

Video – 1st Half of Meeting

After a short break, we resumed the meeting with three more presentations from our guest speakers. First, we had Christie Tragno, Chatham Township MRC, who spoke about Planning for Recycling at New Construction Sites. She shared with us her experience and expertise on how to implement and manage effective recycling programs at new construction sites, including how to educate and engage contractors, builders, and residents on proper recycling practices and procedures. She also showed us some examples and case studies of successful recycling projects that she has overseen or participated in.

Next, we had Joe Schmidt, Solid Waste Enforcement Investigator for the Morris County Division of Public Health, who spoke about Recycling Enforcement Education at depots and construction sites. He talked about the importance and challenges of enforcing recycling regulations and ordinances at depots and construction sites, as well as the strategies and methods that he uses to educate and persuade violators to comply with the rules. He also shared with us some of the common violations and problems that he encounters in his work, as well as some of the tips and resources that he offers to help prevent or resolve them.

The final speaker was Cheryl Birmingham, MCMUA’s District Clean Communities Coordinator and Recycling Specialist, who discussed our 2024 Class A Recycling Facility Tours and upcoming events. She invited us to join the MCMUA on a series of tours that have been organized for us to visit some of the Class A recycling facilities in used by Morris County recyclers, where we can see first-hand how different types of recyclable materials are processed. She also announced some of the upcoming events and activities that we have planned for 2024, such as workshops, webinars, contests, awards, and more.

The meeting ended with a Q&A session, where we had the chance to ask questions and share comments with our speakers and fellow attendees. It was a very informative and engaging meeting, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Thank you for reading this summary and stay tuned for more updates from the MCMUA. Remember: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Video – 2nd Half of Meeting