Union County, NJ

Contacts
JoAnn Gemenden, Bureau Chief
County of Union
Bureau of Planning and Recycling
Department of Parks and Community Renewal
Elizabethtown Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Tel: (908) 654-9890 – Fax: 908-527-4901

WWW: http://ucnj.org/community/recycling

Hotline: 908-654-9889

HOUSEHOLD SPECIAL WASTE DAYS

Household special waste days are held four times a year in Union County. The events, which are held both in the Spring and the Fall are held at various locations throughout the county for accessibility to all county residents. Programs are for Union County residents only with proof of residency required.   Pre-registration is no longer required.

Year 2011 Collection Days

• Union County College
  Cranford Campus
  Saturday, April 16, 2011
  9:00am – 2:00pm rain or shine
  Directions to Union County College, Cranford Campus
  • From the Garden State Parkway – Take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 137.  bear right onto Westfield Avenue (Route 28) which turns into North Avenue.  Just past the second light make a right onto Springfield Avenue.  Union County College is 3/4 of a mile on the left.  Make a left into main parking lot and proceed to BACK parking lot. OR
  • From Route 22 (East or West) – Take Route 22 to Cranford/Westfield Exit (Springfield Avenue).  proceed toward Cranford.  At fourth light, turn right onto Springfield Avenue.  The College is two blocks down on the right side.  make a right turn into the main parking lot and proceed to the BACK parking lot.
• Lucent Technologies
  600 Mountain Ave.
  New Providence, NJ
  Saturday, June 11, 2011
  9:00am – 2:00pm rain or shine
  Directions to Lucent Technologies
  • From ROUTE 22 WEST:  Traveling West into Scotch Plains take Exit for Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Berkeley Hghts. & New Providence/Route 78 (2nd right after McDonalds, before Blue Star Shopping Center).  At 1st light, turn right onto New Providence/Diamond Hill Rd.  Continue straight for 3 lights.  At 3rd light, make a right.  Lucent is the 1st light on the right.
  • From ROUTE 22 EAST: Traveling East into Scotch Plains take Exit for Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Berkeley Hghts. & New Providence/ Route 78 (immediately past Snuffy’s).  Make first right, crossing over Route 22.  At the light, follow signs for New Providence continuing straight onto New Providence/Diamond Hill Rd.  Continue straight for 3 lights.  At the 3rd light, make a right.  Lucent is the 1st light on the right.
• UNION COUNTY VO-TECH
  SCOTCH PLAINS
  Saturday, August 6, 2011
  9:00am – 2:00pm rain or shine
  (Follow the blue and white John H. Stamler Police Academy signs).
  • From Garden State Parkway – Take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 135.  From GSP South, stay to the right down the exit ramp.  This will be Central Ave.  Continue on Central Ave. to the first light and turn left onto Raritan Rd. (White Diamond is on the corner).  At the 4th light, make a right onto Lake Ave. (Rotundo’s Liquor Store will be on the left) and continue over the bridge.  At the third light, turn left onto Raritan Rd.   Approximately ½ mile down Raritan Rd. on the left is the Union County Vo/Tech School.
  • From Route 22 – Take Route 22 (East or West) to the Terrill Road Exit (at Sears).  Continue on Terrill Rd. for a few miles, bearing left at the end.  Ashbrook Golf Course will be in front of you.  Terrill Rd. now becomes Raritan Rd.  Your landmark, the Union County Vocational/Technical School, is located on Raritan Rd. ¼ mile on your right.  Enter the Vo/Tech driveway and bear right.  The Academy is located in the back of the campus parking lot.
• Rahway Park
  Rahway, NJ
  Saturday, October 29, 2010
  9:00am – 2:00pm rain or shine
• Direction to Rahway Park:
  • From Roselle/Linden area: Take St. Georges Avenue (Route 27) into Rahway. Entrance to the Park is on the right between Scott Ave. and W. Grand Ave. Follow signs once in the Park.
  • From Parkway South: Exit 135, bearing left off exit ramp onto traffic circle. Go under Parkway and take 2nd exit ramp off of circle onto Valley Road. Follow through one light and continue straight. Turn right into Rahway Park. Follow signs.

Acceptable Materials

• Aerosol Cans
• Antifreeze
• Batteries (button cells)
• Caustics
• Corrosives & Cleaners
• Fire Extinguishers
• Fluorescent Bulbs (unbroken)
• Gasoline
• Mercury Switches
• Motor Oil & Motor Oil Filters
• Oil based Paints & Varnishes
• Pesticides & Herbicides
• Pool Chemicals
• Solvents and Thinners
• Thermostats

Unacceptable Materials

• Unknown or unidentified materials
• explosives
• radioactive materials
• gas cylinders
• materials containing PCB’s.
• Materials not in their original or labeled containers
• Containers larger than five (5) gallons.
• Waste from commercial or industrial sources can be accepted.
• Latex paint
• Empty cans

UNION COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY, PROOF OF RESIDENCY IS REQUIRED!

SCHOOLS

All Union County Schools (public, private and parochial) can also dispose of their laboratory chemical waste at these events. Any school interested in participating in this program, please contact the County at least two weeks in advance of the event if you would like to participate. It will be necessary at that time to provide the County with a list of materials to be disposed of.

MUNICIPAL RECYCLING COORDINATORS

• Berkeley Heights (908) 665-0086
• Clark (732) 396-1612
• Cranford (908) 709-7299
• Elizabeth (908) 820-4150
• Fanwood (908) 322-7404
• Garwood (908) 789-1522
• Hillside (973) 926-1110
• Kenilworth (908) 276-5073
• Linden (908) 474-8666
• Mountainside (908) 232-2409
• New Providence (908) 665-1129
• Plainfield (908) 226-2518
• Rahway (908) 827-2159
• Roselle (908) 245-9195
• Roselle Park (908) 245-2721
• Scotch Plains (908) 233-6707
• Springfield (201) 912-2225
• Summit (908) 273-7768
• Union (908) 688-4636
• Westfield (908) 789-4100
• Winfield (908) 925-3850

Residential Recycling Mandates

The following materials are mandated recyclables for Union County Residents:

• Aluminum
• Tin Cans
• Consumer Household and Lead Acid Batteries
• Corrugated Cardboard Glass Bottles
• Plastic Bottles (HDPE & PET)
• Newspapers
• Mixed Paper Leaves
• Used Motor Oil
• Grass & Brush
• White Goods

Business Recycling Mandates

The following materials are mandated recyclables for Union County commercial, institutions or industrial sources:

• Aluminum
• Tin Cans
• Consumer and Lead Acid Batteries
• Corrugated Cardboard Glass Bottles
• Plastic Bottles (HDPE & PET)
• Newspapers
• Mixed Paper
• Used Motor Oil
• Office Paper
• Grass & Brush
• Leaves
• Wood
• White Goods (i.e. refrigerators, appliances, etc.)

Used Motor Oil and Filter Program

Residents can dispose of used motor oil numerous ways throughout Union County. The County has provided its municipalities with used motor oil “igloos” for collection and eventual recycling of used motor oil.   Residents should contact their municipal recycling coordinator for location and exact hours of operation of the used motor oil collection sites (phone numbers listed above).

Demanufacturing

The County developed a demanufacturing program in 1995 with the assistance from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and large electronic appliance companies. The purpose of the program is to remove and recycle specific electronic items from the solid waste stream which in turn provides environmental benefits and economic development in Union County.

2011 Computer and Electronics Drop-Off Days:

• ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT ACCEPTED: Monitors, Hard Drives, Modems, Keyboards, CPU’s, Mice, Printers, Scanners, VCR’s, Fax Machines, Circuit Boards
• NOT ACCEPTED: MICROWAVES, REFRIGERATORS, FREEZERS, AIR CONDITIONERS, WASHERS/DRYERS, Business Equipment
  

• Lucent Technologies
  600 Mountain Ave.
  New Providence, NJ
  Saturday, March 26, 2011
  9:00am – 2:00pm rain or shine
  Directions to Lucent Technologies
  • From ROUTE 22 WEST: Traveling West into Scotch Plains take Exit for Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Berkeley Hghts. & New Providence/Route 78 (2nd right after McDonalds, before Blue Star Shopping Center).  At 1st light, turn right onto New Providence/Diamond Hill Rd.  Continue straight for 3 lights.  At 3rd light, make a right.  Lucent is the 1st light on the right.
  • From ROUTE 22 EAST: Traveling East into Scotch Plains take Exit for Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Berkeley Hghts. & New Providence/ Route 78 (immediately past Snuffy’s).  Make first right, crossing over Route 22.  At the light, follow signs for New Providence continuing straight onto New Providence/Diamond Hill Rd.  Continue straight for 3 lights.  At the 3rd light, make a right.  Lucent is the 1st light on the right.
• Union County College
  Cranford Campus
  Saturday, May 21, 2011
  9:00am – 2:00pm rain or shine
  Directions to Union County College, Cranford Campus
  • From the Garden State Parkway - Take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 137.  bear right onto Westfield Avenue (Route 28) which turns into North Avenue.  Just past the second light make a right onto Springfield Avenue.  Union County College is 3/4 of a mile on the left.  Make a left into main parking lot and proceed to BACK parking lot.
    - OR -
  • From Route 22 (East or West) – Take Route 22 to Cranford/Westfield Exit (Springfield Avenue).  proceed toward Cranford.  At fourth light, turn right onto Springfield Avenue.  The College is two blocks down on the right side.  make a right turn into the main parking lot and proceed to the BACK parking lot.
• Lucent Technologies
• 600 Mountain Ave.
  New Providence, NJ
  Saturday, October 22, 2011
  9:00am – 2:00pm rain or shine
  Directions to Lucent Technologies
  • From ROUTE 22 WEST:  Traveling West into Scotch Plains take Exit for Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Berkeley Hghts. & New Providence/Route 78 (2nd right after McDonalds, before Blue Star Shopping Center).  At 1st light, turn right onto New Providence/Diamond Hill Rd.  Continue straight for 3 lights.  At 3rd light, make a right.  Lucent is the 1st light on the right.
  • From ROUTE 22 EAST:  Traveling East into Scotch Plains take Exit for Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Berkeley Hghts. & New Providence/ Route 78 (immediately past Snuffy’s).  Make first right, crossing over Route 22.  At the light, follow signs for New Providence continuing straight onto New Providence/Diamond Hill Rd.  Continue straight for 3 lights.  At the 3rd light, make a right.  Lucent is the 1st light on the right.

Demanufacturing is the process of dissembling products such as televisions, computers, and VCRs where the parts are then sold and reused in new products, recycled or disposed of in an environmentally safe manner.

Paper Shredding Events

The County now sponsors paper shredding events during the year.  This program is for Union County Residents Only – Please No Businesses. In an effort to accommodate all those wishing to participate, please limit your documents to 4 bags/boxes weighing no more than 10lbs. each.

• NO plastic binders
• LIMIT papers to confidential / sensitive materials only
  RECYCLE magazines and non-confidential papers curbside
• Events will end prior to 2pm in the event that the shredding truck reaches capacity!

Click here to read about Union County’s paper shredding events or view the 2011 schedule below.

• Saturday, April 2, 2011 – UNION COUNTY COLLEGE, CRANFORD
• Friday, April 15, 2011 – CEDAR BROOK PARK, PLAINFIELD
• Wednesday, May 18, 2011 – UNION PUBLIC WORKS, UNION
• Thursday, June 9, 2011 – RAHWAY PARK, RAHWAY
• Saturday, June 25, 2011 – UNION COUNTY VO-TECH, SCOTCH PLAINS
• Saturday, August 13, 2011 – KEAN UNIVERSITY, UNION/ELIZABETH
• Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 – LINDEN RECYCLING CENTER, LINDEN
• Saturday, September 24, 2011 – UNION COUNTY VO-TECH, SCOTCH PLAINS
• Saturday, October 22, 2011* – ALCATEL-LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES, NEW PROVIDENCE

Caution

Explosives or Highly Reactive Materials may be dangerous. If you have these types of materials, call first for safety instructions. DO NOT bring these materials without prior authorization! These dangerous items include, but are not limited to, picric acid, isopropyl ether, calcium carbide, perchloric acid and benzoyl peroxide.