The Recycling Plan Element sets forth the goals and policies for Mountain Lakes to fulfill its social and statutory responsibilities to minimize solid waste and to maximize the reuse of reusable and renewable resources. This element also has the purpose of coordinating Borough policies in this regard with those of the County and State.
By the early 1980’s, it became clear that there was a crisis in New Jersey concerning the disposal of solid waste. The crisis resulted from contradictory trends of an ever increasing amount of solid waste and an ever decreasing amount of available and suitable places to dispose of it. The 1987 Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act, amended in 1992, brought widespread recycling to New Jersey and remains the foundation of today’s recycling programs. In accordance with requirements of the Act, each county is a designated solid waste management district charged with the responsibility of developing a solid waste management plan consistent with the state’s goals and objectives. The 2007 Morris County District Solid Waste Management Plan Amendment strengthens definitions of mandated recyclables, education and outreach to generators, and enforcement efforts. In 2009, the Borough adopted a new Solid Waste Recycling Ordinance (Ord. #09-09) to incorporate the requirements of the County Plan Update.
Well before these state initiatives, Mountain Lakes was in the forefront of recycling efforts because many residents, as early as the 1970’s, recognized the benefits of recycling reusable materials long before it was made mandatory. As recycling efforts produced increasing results in the 1980’s, the Borough established a permanent recycling materials collection facility which has evolved over the years based on current requirements. Residential collection of recyclable materials has been in place since 1994.
The Historic Preservation Committee purchased a container in the late 1990s which stores irreplaceable parts of Mountain Lakes’ historic housing. The HPC collects and distributes these pieces, so that they may be recycled to be used as repair pieces for historic homes.
The Mountain Lakes recycling program should have three primary objectives.
Mountain Lakes is committed to the implementation of an effective municipal solid waste management program emphasizing source separation and recycling in a convenient and cost effective manner, maximizing recycling and minimizing the amount of solid waste disposal, in compliance with current State and County recycling mandates.
The Borough annually mails a notice to generators, both residents and businesses and institutions, of recycling requirements and opportunities. The Borough also completes and submits an annual recycling tonnage report to the State Department of Environmental Protection and the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority. In 2009, the Borough Council appointed a Municipal Recycling Enforcement Coordinator.
Residential recycling is accomplished by pick-up once each week by a private contractor hired by the Borough through the municipal solid waste contract. Homeowners may also bring various recyclable materials to the Recycling Center located at the Borough Public Works Depot on Pocono Road. Christmas trees are collected after the holiday season as part of the municipal contract.
The following mandated recyclable materials are collected at residences:
Those materials as well as batteries, motor oil, anti-freeze, tires, leaves, brush and used clothing are also collected at the Public Works Depot and then sold on the secondary market.
Commercial, industrial and institutional establishments are also required to recycle mandated materials. Each is responsible for establishing its own recycling program for the collection, transportation and marketing of designated recyclable materials. Private contractors may handle the recyclables or the business may bring them to the Borough Recycling Center. Documentation of tonnage of material recycled must be submitted in accordance with the Recycling Ordinance. Mountain Lakes municipal properties and Board of Education facilities have their source-separated recyclables collected as part of the municipal solid waste contract.
The following are the major proposals relating to the future of recycling in Mountain Lakes:
Mountain Lakes can be proud of the results of its long term efforts to establish an effective recycling program in the Borough. The maintenance and expansion of that commitment over the long term should be an important objective. The Borough has renovated and updated the Recycling Center. Due to high volume usage, various structural repairs were made, including renovation and updating of facilities, signage and surveillance equipment.
The Borough requires that any application to the Planning Board, for subdivision or site plan approval for the construction of multi-family dwellings of three or more units, single family developments of 50 or more units or any commercial, institutional or industrial development of the utilization of 1,000 square feet or more of land must include a recycling plan. The issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy will be dependant upon a contract with a hauling company for collection and recycling of source-separated materials.
The Municipal Land Use Law requires standards and requirements as part of site plan and subdivision review that will promote recycling of designated materials. In particular, section 40;55-D-38b(9) requires recycling facilities be included in large developments. The Borough Land Use Ordinances should be amended in this regard to be consistent with the State Recycling Act and Mountain Lakes Recycling Ordinance.