PARSIPPANY — The Morris County Board of Freeholders congratulates Earth Friendly Products, 50 Lackawanna Avenue, for being named as one of the top business recyclers in the state by the Department of Environmental Protection at the annual Association of New Jersey Recyclers (ANJR) symposium and awards event.
Earth Friendly was one of three New Jersey businesses winners, along with Benjamin Moore’s Distribution Center in Clifton and Cox Printers in Linden.
“The Christie Administration is proud of these recycling leaders for their efforts and stewardship in recycling, which is a vital component of protecting New Jersey’s environment,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “Recycling is a civic duty that gets everyone actively involved in safeguarding and conserving our natural resources.”
“I was proud to welcome Earth Friendly Products to Parsippany several years ago and when we toured their facility there was no doubt that they had an effective recycling program. Their company and employees commitment to an effective recycling program is a testimony to the quality companies that are located in Parsippany,” said Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Vice President Robert Peluso.
“We salute Earth Friendly as an environmental and business leader in Morris County,’’ said Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo. “They’re a model of a successful business and good neighbor to their community.’’
Earth Friendly manufactures “green” cleaning products at its five U.S. plants, including a facility in Parsippany. The company recycles a variety of materials, has established “zero waste” as a company-wide goal, and has integrated sustainability into all business operations.
It welcomes employee suggestions for waste reduction, and has conducted waste audits that led to further cuts in waste generation at the company. Significant cuts to the company’s trash stream resulted in recycling revenue totaling more than $180,000.
The company also uses solar power and has achieved carbon neutrality since 2013.
In 1987, New Jersey became the first state to require recycling, by passing the New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act.
Some 30 years later, the state continues to develop policies to further increase recycling rates and adapt recycling strategies to match current lifestyles. As part of that effort, DEP requires counties to meet recycling tonnage targets and, with help from local and county partners, promote public participation in recycling.
Earth Friendly Products is a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce.
Also recognized by DEP from across New Jersey for their recycling efforts were the following businesses, institutions and individuals:
BUSINESS: Cox Printers
In addition to recycling numerous materials and offering customers recycled products as part of its print jobs, Cox Printers has installed a 36kW solar system and two wind turbines on the roof of its building. A partial roof garden, which reduces rainwater runoff, has also been installed on the roof, as well as a number of honeybee hives. The business also follows carbon neutral shipment of goods.
BUSINESS: Benjamin Moore and Company
Benjamin Moore’s Distribution Center in Clifton has recycled hundreds of tons of wooden pallets and unwanted paint, corrugated cardboard and shrink wrap. It now has a paint can crusher to recycle steel paint cans. Employees also are educated about the key part environmental programs play in segregating the waste stream, labeling and handling materials safely.
LEADERSHIP: Learn Your ABC’s BYOBag
A collaborative effort by Princeton Borough, the Princeton Merchant’s Association, McCaffrey’s Grocery Store and Sustainable Princeton that follows the waste reduction cycle of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is the focus of The Learn Your ABCs BYOBag Campaign. The effort also has expanded existing programs and provides a solution for recycling non-mandated materials including plastic packaging films, which are difficult to recycle.
INSTITUTION: The Valley Hospital
The Valley Hospital, in Ridgewood, Bergen County, continues adding new materials to an already extensive list of materials for its recycling program. The hospital also uses eco-friendly building products whenever possible and has installed rooftop beehives.
INSTITUTION: Chairville Elementary School
Chairville Elementary School in Medford, Burlington County, recycles a variety of materials and has composting containers for food waste. Recycling is an important part of the curriculum, and the school’s “Green Team” works to promote various environmental programs including waste reduction. The 400-student school is in the process of constructing an Outdoor Classroom, to extend the school’s environmental curriculum.
RISING STAR: Patricia Totaro
Since becoming Brick Township’s recycling coordinator in 2012, Totaro’s efforts have resulted in many improvements to the township’s recycling program. Changing the culture of her department, township employees, residents and businesses has taken several years. Totaro also was instrumental in convincing the governing body to invest in new recycling equipment to improve the program and marketability of materials.
To learn more about recycling in New Jersey, click here.
To learn more about recycling in Morris County, click here.
