Middletown Officially Opens New Eco-Garden At Recycling Center

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Last Wednesday, Middletown had the grand opening of its Eco-Garden, located at the Department of Public Works & Engineering (52 Kanes Lane).

The Middletown Ecological Garden was created to serve as an extension to the Recycling Center. Middletown kids, classes and Boy/Girl Scout troops can come in for tours of the Eco-Garden to learn the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling.

Girl Scout Troops 127 from Leonardo Elementary School and Troop 61124 from Nut Swamp Elementary School came in to take the first tour last Wednesday.

The girls had the opportunity to walk through the “Garbage Garden” to see the creative ways items that were discarded at the Recycling Center can be repurposed.

The Girl Scouts also learned about the importance of rain gardens and the role they play in purifying stormwater and replenishing aquifers (rocks that transmit groundwater), as well as how to repurpose rainwater for gardening through rain barrels. Both of these processes help irrigate the Native New Jersey Garden, save water, and reduce the amount of pesticides used. Lastly, the girls were able to plant their own marigold seeds using the leaf compost that is created through the town’s curbside leaf pickup.

A map of how the eco-garden will look is above. The garden will have composting areas, native plants, a pond, a "garbage garden" and even an outdoor classroom area so Middletown schoolchildren can learn about this unique public facility.

“It is always great to see our younger residents excited about learning something new, and this Eco-Garden and tour of the Recycling Center teaches them in an interactive and engaging way,” said Mayor Tony Perry. “Our hope is that they will pass on their knowledge and continue to keep Middletown green and sustainable for future generations.”

“I am so grateful to work in a town that values sustainability and education,” said Recycling and Clean Communities Coordinator Jessi Ticino. “It is only through education that we can make a lasting change, and we hope this garden will inspire children to be proactive and innovative in their approach to sustainability and recycling.”

The Eco-Garden is part of the Township’s plan to upgrade the Middletown Recycling Center later this fall, and represents its ongoing commitment to a greener tomorrow. If you would like to schedule a tour of the Recycling Center, please contact Ticino at 732-615-3223 or email jticino@middletownnj.org.

Use of Middletown Recycling Center went up "significantly" during COVID, Township says

As more people stayed home and shopped online, the number of items discarded at the town Recycling Center has risen "significantly."

"The impacts of COVID brought to light the need to make these upgrades," said Middletown Public Works Director Ted Maloney. "We are thrilled to see people disposing of items such as cardboard, plastics, and Styrofoam in the proper way and we want to continue to encourage this by increasing the capacity of what the Recycling Center can handle."

Improvements to the Middletown Recycling Center will include:

• Increasing access and efficiency to the recycling drop-off bins
• Improving traffic circulation
• Allowing room for the expansion of recyclable commodities in the future
• Ensuring ADA compliance to both the Middletown Recycling Center and Administrative Building
• Building the eco-garden

Middletown will pay for the upgrades using a combination of municipal tonnage grants, ADA funding, and revenue from the resale of recyclables.

Once the upgrades are made, Middletown will be able to expand the tonnage and quality of recycling it can accept, which the town says will result in greater access to grant monies and a higher revenue for recyclable products.

Middletown Will Build An Eco-Garden At Town Recycling Center (April 2021)

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