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Allendale Green Team reports nearly 20,000 pounds recycled in 2024; expands partnerships
Summary
Green Team chair Mark Savastano told the Jan. 23 council the volunteer program now runs 12 recycling programs (including styrofoam densifying), expanded partnerships with neighboring towns and recorded nearly 20,000 pounds of recoverable material in 2024; council thanked volunteers and agreed to support upcoming Earth Day and collection events.
Mark Savastano presented the Green Team’s 2024 accomplishments to the Allendale mayor and council on Jan. 23, detailing an expanded set of volunteer-run recycling programs and new municipal partnerships.
Savastano said the Green Team now runs 12 programs and four annual events — including an Earth Day collection (scheduled for April 26), a pumpkin-and-gourd composting program, an annual holiday-lights collection and a styrofoam (EPS) collection that uses a densifier. He described a densifying result: a 20ft box-truck collection of roughly 800 cubic feet of EPS reduced to a brick measuring about five cubic feet and weighing 226 pounds.
He reported that Green Team activities recovered nearly 20,000 pounds of material in 2024 (excluding food-waste diverted through the backyard-compost subscription), and listed partnerships with Ramsey, Upper Saddle River and Rosler’s Nursery (which accepted compost and collection materials). He credited volunteers and noted a $500 donation pledged by a resident to support the team.
Council members and members of the public praised the effort; resident Walter Woodmer spoke during public comment to commend Mark’s work as “outstanding.” The mayor and council thanked the Green Team and agreed to consider hosting the Earth Day event at Crestwood.
Savastano asked for continued collaboration with borough departments and local businesses to expand voluntary recycling, and mentioned the team’s interest in reducing municipal food-waste through new programs modeled on nearby towns.
