To the Editor:
In response to the article, “This stinks,” from the December 14 issue, by Rory Pasquariello, another source of garbage in Bayonne is the spilling of recycling bins on windy days. The company that collects Bayonne’s recycling insists that plastic and glass cans and bottles be put in open containers when set out on the street. No plastic bags—not blue, black or brown. On windy days, these containers tip in the wind and send bottles and aluminum cans and cardboard blowing down the streets, sometimes with the garbage can accompanying them. We need to look into a better way to secure the recyclables that are set out early in the morning or the night before.
The city of Bayonne used to have public garbage cans throughout the neighborhoods back when we first moved to Bayonne in 1996, but these were removed in attempts to cut the labor force and balance the budget. Those of us in the Bayonne Nature Club, who have done many cleanups over the past eight years, know that Bayonne was awarded funds of about $120,000 from NJ Clean Communities. These funds should go toward additional garbage cans on busy streets along with the ones that have already been placed in the city’s parks.
Americans need to wake up and realize that a lot of the products we purchase create incredible waste and are not really necessary, such as the wipes that are mentioned in the article. Other dangerous and damaging wastes are plastic bags that clog drains and cause flooding. It would be helpful if Bayonne became one of those valiant communities willing to reduce our use of plastic bags. We all need to think twice before emptying our pockets and cleaning out our car waste baskets and not dump this in our streets and parks. Let’s all put our minds to having a cleaner greener Bayonne.
PATRICIA HILLIARD and
MIKE RUSCIGNO
Bayonne Nature Club