Electronics recycling benefiting rural New York towns

When a new law requiring the recycling of worn-out televisions, computers and other electronic products went into effect in New York State on
April 1, 2011, there was some concern that smaller towns would lose out because it only required one collection center per county and one in every population center of 10,000 or more people.

A study performed a year later by the Product Stewardship Institute finds no reason for alarm. In fact, the report says the law has spurred an “expanded, competitive marketplace for e-scrap recycling” in which:

  • Residents are finding an increased number of collection sites for electronics, and
  • Municipalities are enjoying reduced costs in managing e-scrap recycling programs

In fact, not one of the municipal governments interviewed for the report is still paying a vendor fee for electronics recycling and some are receiving from processors between 4 and 10 cents per pound for scrapped electronic products.

Under the new law, manufacturers of the electronic products pay into fund that underwrites the costs of collecting and recycling the devices at the end of their useful lives.

Read the full story in Recycling Today.

Related environmental news stories:
E-Waste Recycling Access Improves with New York EPR LawNY Department of Environmental Conservation’s E-Waste Recycling website 
Green Jobs and Other Benefits of E-waste Recycling (National Geographic)
E-waste legislation a boon for recycling facilities that keep TVs, computers out of landfills

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Ex-Verizon boss to run Montclair U. entrepreneur center
Fishermen’s Energy gets $4M fed grant for offshore wind
Nominations to environmental boards advance in NJ

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In Sandy’s wake, NJ lawmakers crank up generator bills


One of the lessons that Superstorm Sandy taught us is that life is no fun without power.


Roughing it for a  few hours with flashlights and candles can be an adventure (maybe even romantic) but the thrill is gone when the candles flicker out, the cold sets in, your local supermarket’s frozen food turns to mush, and you have to hopscotch all over town trying to find a gas station that has the power to keep its gas pumps pumping.  


Many New Jerseyans were without electricity for several days after Sandy ripped up the coast. Looking to limit future constituent discomfort, state legislators started drafting bills
as soon as their computer screens glowed back to life.


Howard Geneslaw

Among them are several that would
require grocery
and convenience stores, gas
stations, nursing homes, assisted
living facilities, first aid, ambulance, and rescue squads, pharmacies, firehouses
and boarding houses all to install standby generators.   

In an alert to the his firm’s business
clients, Gibbons attorney
Howard D. Geneslaw, summarizes the legislation and
notes some
of the problem that could  arise since the bills, as
introduced, fail to override local zoning. You can read his full post here. 


Any thoughts you’d like to share on this?  Use the comment box below. If one isn’t visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny ‘comment’ line.

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Ex-Verizon boss to run Montclair U. entrepreneur center

Dennis M. Bone, who retired in June as President of Verizon Wireless, is assuming a new career challenge as the inaugural director of the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship at Montclair State University’s School of Business.  Bone’s first day on the job will  be on January 7.


“We are proud to announce the appointment of Dennis Bone as the inaugural director of the School of Business’ Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship,” said Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole. “Under his able leadership, entrepreneurship will become an integral component of the educational experience for the University’s students, and I expect the Feliciano Center will become an invaluable resource not just for the University community, but also for the state and the region.” 


The center is funded by a $1 million gift from Mimi and Edwin ’82 Feliciano.


Bone was the president and CEO of Verizon New Jersey from 2000 to 2012. He began his 33-year career at Verizon as an outside plant engineer for New Jersey Bell, he also worked in operations, competitive assessment, regulatory matters and external affairs before serving as president and CEO of Bell Atlantic-West Virginia from 1995 until 2000. 

Bone, who holds an MBA from Rutgers University and an MS from Johns Hopkins University, also is chairman of  the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission and serves on the Boards of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning, and the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce. 
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Fishermen’s Energy gets $4M fed grant for offshore wind

An offshore wind project planned for off the coast of Atlantic City is one of seven nationwide to receive a federal grant to help with engineering, with the goal for the project be in operation in five years, the Press of Atlantic City reports today

The Department of Energy announced Wednesday that the Fishermen’s Energy project will receive an initial amount of $4 million to assist with design, engineering and permitting. Three projects will then be selected for grants of as much as $47 million to help with construction and installation. Those projects selected should be operating by 2017
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Nominations to environmental boards advance in NJ

The Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday advanced the list of nominees below.
A final vote of approval is expected in the Senate on Thursday, December 20.

Boat Regulation Commission
Roland Gehweiler of Lincroft
Leonard Mangiaracina of Mount Laurel

Fish and Game Council
Cathy Blumig of Somerset
Joseph Demartino of Lanoka Harbor

Hopatcong Commission 
M. Gantert of Mount Arlington

Landscape Irrigation Contractors Examining Board
George McCarthy of Highland Park
Ken Scherer of Hillsborough

Tidelands Resource Council
Stuart Challoner of Island Heights
Philip Diberardino of Margate
Joseph Grabas of Freehold
Robert Kiejdan of Northfield
Martha Maxwell-Doyle of Little Egg Harbor
Robert Neff of Little Silver
Mary Robbie of Marlton
C. Brad Schoening of Little Silver
Lloyd Tubman of Flemington
Thomas Voltaggio of Cherry Hill

Wetlands Mitigation Council 
Patricia Burns of West Deptford
Yang Deng of West Caldwell
David Roth of Little Egg Harbor Township

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Not planning for 100-year storm now haunting JCP&L

Sandy-downed power line in Bernardsville, NJ – nj.com photo


Eight months before Hurricane Sandy left more than 1 million customers of Jersey Central Power & Light without power, a top executive of its parent company told analysts during an earnings call, “there are literally events that I don’t think we should plan for.’’


NJ Spotlight reports today that: 
The pronouncement by Chuck Jones, president of FirstEnergy Utilities, is explosive because JCP&L is under increasing fire from local officials and state regulators over its response to the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Sandy. More than one hundred thousand of its customers lost power twice during the more than 11 days it took the utility to restore electricity.
The comments also might prove troublesome to the state’s second-largest utility because it already is facing a proceeding spurred by the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel over allegations that JCP&L was earning above the amount granted by state regulators, bringing in more than $90 million in profits.
Todd Schneider, a spokesman for FirstEnergy, the parent company of JCP&L, disputed any assertion that the company had not planned for Hurricane Sandy, a storm that utility officials noted was twice as big as Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
“We did more for this storm than we did ever before planning for such an event,’’ Schneider said. “We threw every possible resource at Hurricane Sandy.’’
Read the full story here.

Related: 
JCP&L blasted by crowd in Bernards Township    
What’s your view? Does a utility company have a responsibility to invest for 100-year storms? Use the comment box below to respond. If one is not visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny ‘comment’ line.

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