All posts by ewinggreenteam

Community organization focused on environmental issues

MCIA Hazardous Waste Collection and Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, June 2nd.

The MCIA will be running its second Household Waste and Electronics Disposal Day of the year on Saturday, June 2nd from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.  It will be held at John T. Dempster Fire School, Lawrence Station Rd in Lawrence Twp.

Accepted for recycling are the following:

Aerosol Cans | Used Motor Oil |Propane Gas Tanks | Pesticides & Herbicides | Car Batteries | Paint Thinner | Oil Based Paint | Stains & Varnishes | Gasoline | Anti-Freeze | Driveway Sealer | Insect Repellents | Mercury | Fluorescent & CFL Bulbs | Computers | Printers | Copiers | Fax Machines | Stereos | Televisions | Microwaves

Materials Not Accepted:

NO LATEX PAINT | NO Heating Oil | NO Infectious Waste| NO Radioactive Materials NO Explosives or Munitions | NO Railroad Ties | NO Asbestos | NO Tires | NO Wood  | NO Fencing | NO Air Conditioners | NO Helium or Oxygen Tanks | NOUnknowns

For Mercer County Residents Only. Only Residential Waste will be accepted, i.e. no Commercial Business waste. Proof of Residency will be required (Driver’s License). For more information call 609-278-8086 or visit WWW.MCIANJ.ORG.

Township Plans Recycling Double Header on Saturday, April 28th

Shred Day for Your Sensitive Documents

Dispose of your sensitive documents safely and securely at Ewing’s first Shred Day of the year, Saturday, April 28th from 9 – 1 at the Municipal building.  Document shredding will be done on site.  This service is for Ewing residents only and proof of residency is required.

The Ewing Green Team will be on hand to assist.

Date: Saturday, April 28th
Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Municipal Building, 2 Jake Garzio Drive.

National Take Back Day

If your medicine cabinet is filled with expired drugs or medications that you no longer use, and you are concerned about detrimental environmental effects from improper disposal or eliminating the potential for abuse of medications, here is the information that you need to properly dispose of them.

The Ewing Police Department will be participating in the DEA’s twice yearly National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.  Just go to Ewing Municipal Building, 2 Jake Garzio Drive and go to the Ewing Police Department on the lower level.  Ewing Police will have an officer between 10 and 2 to take the items.

All medications are accepted, prescription and over-the-counter, as well as liquids.  Liquids are accepted in their original prescription bottle only and with the cap tightly secured. Syringes and other sharp instruments should not be turned in at this event.  Hypodermic needles are not accepted.  The disposal is handled completely securely; all accepted medications with any labels that you leave on the containers are placed in a large cardboard box, lined with plastic.  At the end of the day the contents are taken to the prosecutor’s office.  The DEA will pick up and incinerate.

Guidelines for Drug Disposal

Follow any specific disposal instructions on the drug label or patient information that accompanies the medication. Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless this information specifically instructs you to do so.

If no instructions are given on the drug label and no take-back program is available in your area, take them out of their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter — to make the medication less appealing and unrecognizable — then put them in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent the medication from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.

You should also remove any identifying information on the label to protect your identity and privacy.

Despite the safety reasons for flushing drugs, some people are questioning the practice because of concerns about trace levels of drug residues found in surface water, such as rivers and lakes, and in some community drinking water supplies. However, the main way drug residues enter water systems is by people taking medications and then naturally passing them through their bodies.  That said, the FDA does not want to add drug residues into water systems unnecessarily. The agency reviewed its drug labels to identify products with disposal directions recommending flushing or disposal down the sink. This continuously revised listing can be found at FDA’s Web page on Disposal of Unused Medicines.

National Take Back Day Information

Date: April 28, 2018
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Ewing Municipal Building, 2 Jake Garzio Drive

If you are unable to participate in the National Take Back Day event there is a Project Medicine Drop Box outside of Police headquarters where you may drop off medications 24/7.  For more information see the Project Medicine Drop Box page on the Township’s website.

Hazardous Waste Disposal Day – Saturday, April 7th

The MCIA will be running its first Household Waste and Electronics Disposal Day of the year on Saturday, April 7th from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.  It will be held at John T. Dempster Fire School, Lawrence Station Rd in Lawrence Twp.

Accepted for recycling are the following:

Aerosol Cans | Used Motor Oil |Propane Gas Tanks | Pesticides & Herbicides | Car Batteries | Paint Thinner | Oil Based Paint | Stains & Varnishes | Gasoline | Anti-Freeze | Driveway Sealer | Insect Repellents | Mercury | Fluorescent & CFL Bulbs | Computers | Printers | Copiers | Fax Machines | Stereos | Televisions | Microwaves

Materials Not Accepted:

NO LATEX PAINT | NO Heating Oil | NO Infectious Waste| NO Radioactive Materials NO Explosives or Munitions | NO Railroad Ties | NO Asbestos | NO Tires | NO Wood  | NO Fencing | NO Air Conditioners | NO Helium or Oxygen Tanks | NOUnknowns

For Mercer County Residents Only. Only Residential Waste will be accepted, i.e. no Commercial Business waste. Proof of Residency will be required (Driver’s License). For more information call 609-278-8086 or visit WWW.MCIANJ.ORG.

Tips for Recycling Your Christmas Tree

Next week we will be seeing that holiday staple, the Christmas tree, that gave its all for Christmas cheer, forlorn and discarded by the hundreds at the curbside.   Ewing Township, of course, collects your tree at the curb for recycling into mulch to be used around local parks, however, there are also many environmentally- and taxpayer-friendly ways you can use your tree on your own property.

Reuse your Christmas tree around your home and in your yard this winter and not only will you nourish the landscape, providing valuable resources and habitat for the environment, but you can also help reduce staff time with tree pickup, saving taxpayer dollars.

  • Winter mulch
    Evergreens provide winter insulation for tender plants in your yard and reduce frost heaving. Cut the boughs from the tree and place them over any delicate plants for the winter.   They also help alleviate the weight of snow on branches that might otherwise break from the added load.
  • Mulch with the needles
    Needles from your tree dry out quickly and decompose slowly.  They make an excellent mulch for the garden.  Pine needles are full of nutrients that can reduce the PH of your soil if its more alkaline.  Many on a branch fall off the boughs placed in the beds during the winter.
  • Brush Pile for Wildlife Habitat
    Wildlife need snug hiding places and protection from winter weather. Make a small brush pile from the boughs in a back corner of your yard and create a safe place to support our threatened vanishing wildlife.  Or leave your tree intact and place it in its stand outdoors.  Fill it with bird feeders hung from the boughs.  Again, this makes a wonderful addition to wintertime habitat for a variety of small animals such as birds, rabbits, and squirrels…
  • Firewood
    You can use your tree as firewood, but not right away. The wood is wet and can pose a fire hazard. Cut your tree up and let it dry out and then use in an outdoor fire pit.  It’s not good with an inside fireplace, but works well outside.
  • Fresheners
    Make a sachet from the tree’s pine needles to keep that Christmas scent in your home throughout the New Year.
  • Fish feeders
    Sunk into private fish ponds, trees make an excellent refuge and feeding area for fish.
  • Coasters
    The creative and crafty among us can make round coasters from the trunk.

These are just a few suggestions garnered from our own usage and around the web.  Perhaps you can think of more.

The Ewing Green Team hopes you all had a great holiday season and sends best wishes for  a wonderful New Year.

1. http://www.realchristmastrees.org/dnn/All-About-Trees/How-to-Recycle

Shred Day – Saturday, October 21st

Dispose of your sensitive documents safely and securely at Ewing’s last Shred Day of the year, Saturday, October 21st from 9 – 1 at the municipal building.  Document shredding will be done on site.  This service is for Ewing residents only and proof of residency is required.

The Ewing Green Team will be on hand to assist.

Date: Saturday, October 21st
Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Municipal Building

The 2018 Shred dates will be announced early next year.

Reminder – MCIA Hazardous Waste Disposal Day This Saturday, April 8th

The MCIA will be running its first  Household Waste and Electronics Disposal Day of the year on Saturday, April 8th from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.  It will be held at John T. Dempster Fire School, Lawrence Station Rd in Lawrence Twp.

Accepted for recycling are the following:

Aerosol Cans | Used Motor Oil |Propane Gas Tanks | Pesticides & Herbicides | Car Batteries | Paint Thinner | Oil Based Paint | Stains & Varnishes | Gasoline | Anti-Freeze | Driveway Sealer | Insect Repellents | Mercury | Fluorescent & CFL Bulbs | Computers | Printers | Copiers | Fax Machines | Stereos | Televisions | Microwaves

Materials Not Accepted:

NO LATEX PAINT | NO Heating Oil | NO Infectious Waste| NO Radioactive Materials NO Explosives or Munitions | NO Railroad Ties | NO Asbestos | NO Tires | NO Wood  | NO Fencing | NO Air Conditioners | NO Helium or Oxygen Tanks | NO Unknowns

For Mercer County Residents Only. Only Residential Waste will be accepted, i.e. no Commercial Business waste. Proof of Residency will be required (Driver’s License). For more information call 609-278-8086 or visit WWW.MCIANJ.ORG.

Spring is in the Air – Make Reduce, Reuse and Recycle a Part of Your Spring Cleaning Plan

With the advent of spring on Monday, March 20th, many of us begin that annual ritual of the season, spring cleaning.  The EGT recommends that as you go through the unwanted stuff in your home that you consider the 3Rs of the recycling mantra when you make your decisions regarding their disposal.  From clothes, to furniture, to old non-working or outdated electronics, to bottles of cleaners, pesticides, oil-based paints, driveway sealer, insect repellents, to reams of unwanted sensitive documents, these all may need to go.  Fortunately, there are some specialized programs that are run in Ewing and Mercer County in April to allow you to dispose of many items AND there are many organizations that will take your gently used, no longer needed items and give them a new home.

Reduce

Before you make the decision to buy new we encourage you to reflect on whether you really need something new or whether cleaning or repair of the old item will do.  For example, what about that pair of shoes with worn down heels that you love?  Don’t throw them out. Take them to be repaired.  There a wonderful cobber in Pennington who will make them look like new.  Is your coat zipper broken?  If the coat is in good condition otherwise, take it to a local tailor for repair.

Reuse

Spring is also the season for yard sales. Run one to find homes for clothes, toys, appliances, and books that you no longer need.  Or, check out the local donation centers in Ewing and the surrounding areas at our sister website, EwingRecycles.org.  Check out each to see which works best for what you want to donate.   Don’t forget Easel, behind the municipal building, will taker unwearable clothes, sheets and towels for pet bedding.

Recycle

Events in April

  • MCIA Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Electronics Recycling Event
    April 8, 2017 at 8:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Dempster Fire School, 350 Lawrence Station Road, Lawrence, NJ 08648.  This event is for residential Waste only/No Commercial Businesses Mercer County Residents Only/ Proof of Residency Required (Driver’s License)
  • Ewing Shred Day
    April 22, 2017 at 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Ewing Township Municipal Building, 2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing, NJ, United States
    Dispose of sensitive documents safely and securely at Ewing’s first Shred Day of the year at the municipal building. Document shredding will be done on site. This service is for Ewing residents only and proof of residency is required.
  • National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in Ewing
    April 29, 2017 at the Pennington Road Fire Company, 1660 Pennington Road, Ewing, Times to be announced.  Dispose of your unused medications safely and responsibly.

Don’t forget Ewing’s Convenience Centers.  Ewing Township has two waste Drop Off Convenience Sites for residential use only (with proof of Ewing residency).   Check http://ewingnj.org/Departments/Public-Works/Brush-Bulk-Waste.aspx for hours.

  • Jack Stephan Way (off of Parkway Avenue, at the old Naval Jet Propulsion Center
    Brush and Yard waste.
  • Department of Public Works, 136 Scotch Road
    Construction debris, doors and windows, lumber, sheetrock, rugs, broken furniture, small appliances, missed garbage pick up and electronics recycling and more.

Dispose of Unused Drugs Safely with Project Medicine Drop at Ewing Police Headquarters

projectmedicinedropThe Ewing Green Team is delighted to report that we just learned that Ewing Township has joined the New Jersey Attorney General’s “Project Medicine Drop” initiative, and has installed a Project Medicine Drop box at police headquarters.

The participation in this program will make it easier and more convenient than ever for Ewing Township residents to take an active role in the fight against the nationwide epidemic of opiate and heroin abuse, which often is fueled by the abuse of prescription painkillers.

 “In an ongoing effort to continually expand the services offered to the community, we are happy to announce Ewing’s participation in Project Medicine Drop. The drop box provides a safe and convenient location for everyone in our community to drop off unused and expired medications. I encourage all Ewing residents to be aware of this resource and use it as a way to help prevent any potential for abuse,” said Mayor Bert Steinmann.

Project Medicine Drop is a great addition to our commitment to public safety and the fight against opiate and prescription pill abuse.  The drop box will give residents a quick, easy and effective mechanism to safely dispose of unneeded medication without the fear of those medications ending up in the wrong hands,” Ewing Police Chief John Stemler said.

Project Medicine Drop is an important component of the New Jersey Attorney General’s effort to stop the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs, including highly addictive opiate painkillers.  This initiative also protects New Jersey’s environment by keeping these drugs of the landfills and out of the water supply.

Members of the public are invited to visit the Project Medicine Drop sites and drop off any unused prescription medications anonymously and with no questions asked.  Most Project Medicine Drop sites make this service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

 More information about Project Medicine Drop, including the full list of Project Medicine Drop locations, can be found at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/meddrop.

Recycling Double Header This Saturday, Oct 22nd

recycleimageJoin the EGT for a recycling double-header this Saturday, October 22nd! Two recycling events are scheduled for the day which will help you to green your lifestyles thru recycling, the final 2016 Shred Day, and the biannual Rx Take Back Day.

You may dispose of your sensitive documents safely and securely at Ewing’s final Shred Day of the year from 9 – 1 at the municipal building. Document shredding will be done on site. This service is for Ewing residents only and proof of residency is required.

Members of the Ewing Green Team will be on hand to assist.

Date: Saturday, October 22nd
Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Municipal Building


drugs

If your medicine cabinet is filled with expired drugs or medications that you no longer use, and you are concerned about detrimental environmental effects from improper disposal, here is the information that you need to properly dispose of them.

The Ewing Police Department will be participating in the DEA’s twice yearly National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, October 22, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.  Just go to the Ewing Police Department at 2 Jake Garzio Drive.  Enter the main door and make a left to go down the hallway to the Police Department.  Ewing Police will have an officer between 10 and 2 to take the items.

All medications are accepted, prescription and over-the-counter, as well as liquids.  Hypodermic needles are not accepted.  The disposal is handled completely securely; all accepted medications with any labels that you leave on the containers are placed in a large cardboard box, lined with plastic.  At the end of the day the contents are taken to the prosecutor’s office.  The DEA will pick up and incinerate.

National Take Back Day Information

Date: Saturday, October 22nd
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Ewing Police Department, 2 Jake Garzio Drive

Reminder – MCIA Hazardous Waste Disposal Day This Saturday

recycleimageThe MCIA will be running a Household Waste and Electronics Disposal Day on Saturday, June 11th from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.  It will be held at John T. Dempster Fire School, Lawrence Station Rd in Lawrence Twp.

Accepted for recycling are the following:

Aerosol Cans | Used Motor Oil |Propane Gas Tanks | Pesticides & Herbicides | Car Batteries | Paint Thinner | Oil Based Paint | Stains & Varnishes | Gasoline | Anti-Freeze | Driveway Sealer | Insect Repellents | Mercury | Fluorescent & CFL Bulbs | Computers | Printers | Copiers | Fax Machines | Stereos | Televisions | Microwaves

Materials Not Accepted:

NO LATEX PAINT | NO Heating Oil | NO Infectious Waste| NO Radioactive Materials NO Explosives or Munitions | NO Railroad Ties | NO Asbestos | NO Tires | NO Wood  | NO Fencing | NO Air Conditioners | NO Helium or Oxygen Tanks | NO Unknowns

For Mercer County Residents Only. Only Residential Waste will be accepted, i.e. no Commercial Business waste. Proof of Residency will be required (Driver’s License). For more information call 609-278-8086 or visit WWW.MCIANJ.ORG.