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Essex County commissioners delay vote on incinerator contract after lengthy public opposition
Summary
After hours of public comment from Newark and Ironbound residents and environmental advocates, the Essex County commissioners voted to reconsider and then table ordinance O-2025-00013 — a proposed amendment that would prepare the county to send up to 425,000 tons per year to the Real World (incinerator) facility — until the board's next meeting on Oct. 22.
Essex County Board President Pomeras on Wednesday moved the meeting into a prolonged public hearing on an amendment to the county's solid-waste plan, ordinance O-2025-00013, after dozens of residents and advocacy groups pressed commissioners to reject a proposed contract extension with the Real World incinerator in Newark.
The hearing drew sustained testimony from Ironbound Community Corporation, Food & Water Watch and other community groups who described the facility as a longstanding environmental-justice concern and urged the board to pursue alternatives such as waste diversion, stronger recycling enforcement and composting. Alejandra Torres, Director of Advocacy and Organizing at the Ironbound Community Corporation, told commissioners: "This incinerator is choking us" and urged them to "disapprove of this ordinance and work towards enacting real environmental activities."
Real World representatives defended the plant. Michael Van Brunt,…
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