Beyond cans and bottles Keasbey recycling center processes bulk items such as furniture, electronics BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer WOODBRIDGE - Township officials recently announced a "menu of services" at the Convenience and Recycling Center in Keasbey for residents. "The 'menu of services' is the township's way to continue to improve and expand environmentally friendly and cost-effective public works programs and services," said Mayor John E. McCormac during his tour of the center on Nov. 1. The center, which opened earlier this year, allows residents to bring their recycling and bulk waste items to the center for free. "The center has been a hub of activity for township residents who choose to drop off their bulk waste items rather than have them picked up at the curb for a fee," said McCormac Since its opening, approximately 912 tons of bulk waste such as furniture, bedding and large household items, 74 tons of metal and appliances, 640 tons of concrete, brick, block and asphalt, and 241 tons of brush have been collected at the center and recycled or taken to a solid waste facility at a discounted rate for bulk waste disposal. The township Department of Public Works reported that as a result of the huge response to the drop-off program, the need for costly curbside special pickups has dropped by almost 50 percent. For example, the collection of appliances and metal previously collected three days per week has been reduced to one day per week. The center accepts bulk waste items, appliances, concrete, dirt, asphalt, residential construction debris, but no commercial debris, mixed metals, leaves and brush and recyclable electronics such as PC's and laptops, monitors, printers, keyboards, mouse attachments, scanners and TVs. The mayor also announced that township sanitation crews have begun the fall curbside pickup of leaves bagged in biodegradable paper bags, which are available free at the Department of Public Works. "The fall leaf collection program is under way with more than 500,000 environmentally friendly biodegradable paper bags [already] distributed to township residents," said Dennis Henry, director of the Department of Public Works. Curbside pickup of bagged leaves will temporarily replace one weekly trash pickup until the conclusion of the bagged leaf pickup, which will be Dec. 7. Residents dropping off bulk waste items are required to present a driver's license or proof of township residency. The center at 225 Smith St. is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. For more information on the Convenience and Recycling Center or the collection of the bagged leaves, contact the Department of Public Works at (732) 738-1311, ext. 3049, or visit www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us and click on recycling.