North Avenue Clean Up
Submitted by William Niersted
No plastic bags, but just as many irresponsible cigarette smokers!
That was the verdict on Saturday, October 8, after the Garwood Democratic Club completed its third 2022 Route 28/North Avenue cleanup as part of its annual Adopt-A-Highway commitment to the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Cigarette butts remain – from our initial cleanup 3 years ago – the largest single most picked-up item.
Once again, we thank local businesses that have placed cigarette butt poles in front of their businesses, and we urge the industrial establishments to do the same for their employees. I remind cigarette smokers that the butts they throw into the street end up in storm drains, our streams, and back into our drinking water supply. You are not ‘throwing away’ your cigarette butt; you are just setting yourself up, and the rest of us, for drinking it later. I urge you to please dispose of your cigarette butts responsibly.
This time club members Debbie Ledger, Councilman Marc Lazarow, Mark Gernett, Russ Graham, Clarissa Nolde, Isabella and Gonzalo Vazquez, Mayor Sara Todisco and Bill Nierstedt bore cotton gloves, handled ‘grabbers’, and picked up enough litter to fill 4 garbage bags and one bag of recyclables. I would have to say that we did notice a reduction in the amount of material picked up (we wondered if Hurricane Ian had washed it all down the storm drains!). Regardless, North Avenue remains a hotbed for litterers.
While cigarette butts remain the #1 litter item, this cleanup did see a few changes in litter items. Auto-related parts – nuts, washers, screws, lug bolts – have reduced in number (maybe the car owners brought the cars to real auto shops to get repaired!). The most interesting item was our first Christmas tree ornament. A little early! The major item worth listing is utility company debris. It became readily apparent that PSE&G workers don’t clean up after their work very well – housing canisters, brackets, wires, etc., filed our bags. Other items of consequence are ‘airplane’ size liquor bottles, fast food restaurant food packaging, and one shirt. The number of masks and plastic gloves is also down, but not eliminated. The restrictions on single-use plastic bags are working as we didn’t pick any up at all!
Each cleanup reduces litter from entering our stormwater system and rivers, and reduces the visual litter blight, improving Garwood’s appearance to those passing through. Those interested in assisting the Club in its future North Avenue cleanups are encouraged to contact the Garwood Democratic Club.
