Borough To Change Recycling Plan in February

The borough will switch to a single-stream recycling collection plan beginning in February, the Borough Council announced Wednesday.

Single-stream collection means that recyclable materials no longer have to be separated, said Mayor Sylvia Petillo.  All cans, plastics and paper can be placed in the same container, she said.

The new system will  start Feb. 1.

All recyclables will be collected every other week, Petillo said. That is a change from the current system that collects paper one week and cans and plastic another week.

The plan will be explained in the borough newsletter prior to the start of the program, Petillo said.

The mayor also said that while the public meeting  with Jersey Central Power & Light officials Tuesday to discuss the response to Hurricane Sandy was lightly attended, officials from the electric utility were responsive to comments.

She said they agreed that communication failures were the biggest issues that arose during the storm.

Petillo said she told the JCP&L officials that borough officials need  more specific information about their repair efforts during future storms.

She also pointed out that the three key public facilities that need to be restored first are borough hall, the high school that is designated as an emergency shelter, and the Crescent Cove pumping station.

Councilman Richard Bunce said that all of those facilities  have generators which were in use during the storm,  but it is important to get them back on line as soon as possible.