Imagine being rewarded for recycling!

That could happen if Belmar enters into an agreement with RecycleBank, a Philadelphia company that offers an innovative rewards program that encourages people to recycle more of their trash at curbside.
Here’s how RecycleBank works: Residents would receive a recycling container with a barcode attached to it. All recyclables would be put together into the container (i.e., it would no longer be necessary to separate newspapers, glass, plastic, etc.) Belmar’s Department of Public Works would continue to handle the pick-up of recyclables at curbside in the Borough, but RecycleBank would equip Belmar’s recycling truck with a device that simultaneously weighs the container and scans the bar code, automatically recording the amount of recyclables to each customer’s account. The weight of the recyclables is converted into a value, and customers can earn up to 35 RecycleBank Dollars each month. These “dollars” can be redeemed through coupons for participating retailers, ranging from local stores and restaurants to national chains like CVS Pharmacy and Target, as well as manufacturers coupons, such as for Kraft Foods, to name just a few. The more you recycle, the more rewards you get up to the $35 RecycleBank Dollar limit per month. Best of all, the more you recycle, the less waste gets dumped in the landfill, saving Borough taxpayers money that normally goes to tipping fees. Plus, the Borough would continue to earn revenue from its recyclables.

Belmar outsourced regular trash pick-up to a private hauler more than two years ago. The Borough is exploring the privatization of recycling pick-up and the possibility of entering into a shared services arrangement with area municipalities when it does so. If these occur, we would still continue the RecycleBank program.

Council President Merry Brennan is leading the effort on the Council to explore the benefits of incorporating RecycleBank’s rewards program into the Borough’s curbside recycling effort. She is in the process of collecting recycling tonnage and route information to provide to the RecyclingBank representative for this area. A representative of RecycleBank also recently gave a presentation on Monday, February 23, to the shared services study group meeting of the mayors and administrators of Belmar, Bradley Beach, Lake Como, Neptune and Neptune City. All of the representatives in attendance were very positive about the idea of adding RecycleBank to their recycling operations, although those with private hauling contracts, will likely have to await the renewal of their recyclables hauling contract. So stay tuned.

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