Monmouth County says landfill odor largely reduced; $15M committed to slope caps

Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone told the Tinton Falls Borough Council on March 18 that recent operational and capital work at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center has substantially reduced the landfill’s odor complaints.

Arnone said residents' reports and his office’s call volume have declined since the county brought in a third‑party contractor and made a series of engineering and operational changes. “It’s not perfect. Will I say it’s in the 90% per percentile better? I have to say this,” Arnone said.

County operations staff described recent and planned capital work. Jeff, identified by county speakers as the official overseeing day‑to‑day operations at the reclamation center, said a temporary cap completed in February cost “over $5,000,000 to put in place.” He told the council the cap covers about 21 acres of the landfill and that design work for slope caps is expected to finish by late spring, with bidding to follow and construction likely to begin in the fall.

Arnone said the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners has committed about $15,000,000 to complete slope capping. County staff described roughly $35,000,000 in capital investments over recent years for capping and related projects.

County officials described a phased schedule: the valley‑fill project that will accommodate future waste is under construction and is scheduled to be completed by late 2025, and the opening of Phase 4 will coincide with closing Phase 3. Officials said the valley fill area will be built out over decades and that some currently excavated areas will be filled over the next 20 years.

County staff also said a redesigned reclamation center website was launched just before March 1 to give residents clearer guidance on recycling, household hazardous waste and center operations.

Separately, Arnone and staff addressed a proposed gas‑to‑energy project. They said New Jersey Natural Gas has an application pending with the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and that no construction has begun: “No shovel has hit the ground,” county staff said. County officials emphasized that BPU approval and other state regulatory actions, not the county, control the timeline for that project.

Arnone asked the council and residents to continue dialogue and said county updates to residents will continue, including periodic letters.

The county representatives took questions from council members about previous complaint volumes, engineering schedules and opportunities for further public briefings. Arnone said county staff will return for additional updates at the borough’s request.

Details provided by county staff during the March 18 presentation will be followed up in subsequent county and borough communications.