For Immediate Release:
April 16, 2008
Monmouth County and Global Recycling Solutions
jointly announce $1.2 million in savings
Tinton Falls – The public-private partnership Monmouth County has had with Global Recycling Solutions since 2005 has so far achieved more than $1 million in savings at the Monmouth County ReclamationCenter in Tinton Falls.
Christopher Murray, superintendent of the Reclamation Center, applauded the foresight of the freeholders in supporting innovative projects such as this partnership. “This is the second major achievement in our partnership with Global Recycling,” he said. “The first was our jointly winning the award from the NJ DEP for the most innovative recycling facility in New Jersey last October.”
Global Recycling Solutions operates one of the most advanced recycling facilities processing all grades of Class “A” recyclables including newspapers, cardboard and commingled cans and bottles. But the facility is unique in its ability to process mixed broken glass into a useful “sand-like” aggregate for use directly on site, saving county taxpayers more than $20 per ton for the cost of filter sand.
Freeholder William C. Barham, liaison to the Reclamation Center, said Monmouth County has solved the problem of recycling mixed-colored glass, which has no market. “Other counties in New Jersey and elsewhere have problems finding outlets for their mixed broken glass, but not Monmouth County,” Barham said. “We saw a problem and came up with a solution. Instead of using sand to properly layer the landfill, we are able to use the mixed-colored glass instead.”
Since the inception of mandatory recycling in New Jersey, mixed broken glass has been a problem for most recycling facilities because they could not find a market for it. Uniquely, MonmouthCounty has encouraged the acceptance of mixed broken glass from other counties. In fact, in the past two years, more than 60,000 tons of mixed broken glass has been received and processed into a useful aggregate used directly on site at the landfill.
“We have always believed that public agencies and private industry can work together for the betterment of society,” Barham said. “By having a private company set up shop at the county Reclamation Center, we are able to provide recycling services to our residents and also save taxpayers a considerable amount of money each year by using this product in our landfill operation.”
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Mixed glass "cullet" produced at GRS Recycling, located at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center. The cullet is used in place of filter sand.