Freeholders Host Shredding, Special Waste Collection Events to Observe Earth Day
For Immediate Release: April 16, 2009
Contacts: KEN SHUTTLEWORTH

Camden County has scheduled a hazardous household waste collection day on Saturday, April 25, in Collingswood as part of a series of Earth Week events in the region.

A week later, on May 2, the first of two shredding events will take place on the Blackwood campus of the Camden County College in Gloucester Township between 9 a.m. and noon.

“Both of these events are big reasons why we call Camden County the Green County,” said Freeholder Jeffrey L. Nash, liaison to the Camden County Division of Environmental Affairs.

Nash noted that the household hazardous collections program began in 1988 with two events. “Now we schedule six collection dates, plus three more specifically for old computers and other electronic items that threaten the environment,” the freeholder said.

“Over the past 20 years, the county has collected more than five and a half million pounds of old oil-based paints, pesticides, pool and garden chemicals, car batteries and old propane tanks, among other hazardous items found in homes,” Nash said.

“This means we have kept that many hazardous items out of landfills and the trash incinerator and have been able to reduce our carbon footprint in the process,” Nash added.

Nash said about 94 tons of paper have been shredded since the twice-a-year shredding events began in 2006. “This means we have saved the equivalent of 1,500 trees,” Nash said.

The April 25 collection begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Collingswood Department of Public Works, 713 N. Atlantic Avenue, near the PATCO High Speed Line stop. It continues through 3p.m., almost simultaneously with Collingswood’s Green Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Nash said the next household hazardous collection day is scheduled in Waterford Township on May 16, also between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. The third collection, combined with collection of old computers and other electronic devices, is scheduled at the county college’s Blackwood campus on June 13, also between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

“Safe collection of the old computers, DVD players, radios, telephones and other electronic gear keeps dangerous materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium from being released into the environment,” Nash said.

Three more collection days and the second shredding event are scheduled in the fall and Nash said details are available onwww.camdencounty.com, or by calling either 866 CAMDEN COUNTY (toll free) or (856) 858-85241.

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