Verona Environmental Commission
600 Bloomfield Avenue The Verona Environmental Commission was established by the Township of Verona as part of Ord. 9-92 on August 3rd, 1992. It was established "for the protection , development or use of natural resources, including water resources, within the territorial limits of the Township". Its seven members, one of whom is also a member of the Planning Board, and two alternates make recommendations to the Town Council and the Planning Board concerning open space preservation, water resource management, air pollution control, solid waste management, noise control, soil and landscape protection, and the protection of flora and fauna in general. The Verona Environmental Commission also
reviews all applications sent to the Planning Board and the Board of
Adjustment to evaluate their impact on the
environment. The Commission interacts with neighboring community
environmental commissions and the Essex County Environmental Center. The
Verona Environmental Commission plays a role of acting to protect and
maintain our Township's environmental resources for health and well being of
present and future residents. Useful Municipal Waste Streams
Don’t Toss That Bulb Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury they should be disposed properly. Verona residents can properly dispose of their CFLs when Essex County has its Household Hazardous Waste Day. The bulbs should be placed in a clear plastic bag. For accidentally broken CFLs, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines. · Open a widow and leave the room for 15 minutes or more. · Carefully scope up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and seal them in a plastic bag. · Use disposable rubber gloves, no bare hands to wipe the area clean with damp paper towel or disposable wet wipes and place them in a second plastic bag along with the first bag containing the bulb fragments and any other cleanup materials. · Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. · Put the bag in an outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal. · Wash your hands after disposing of the bag. If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet. · First remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder. · If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister ) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal. For more information about disposing of CFLs, go to www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling. This information was taken from Good Earthkeeping article in ANJEC Report, Winter 2008. Welcome to the
TreesAreGood.com Trees It is so easy to ignore the trees we see every day, but our life without trees would be almost unbearable. And planting a few more trees can improve the environment in any community. Trees hold topsoil in place to prevent
flooding. Trees protect vital water supplies. A single large tree can release up to 400 gallons of water into the atmosphere each day. Tree foliage filters dust and can help remove toxic pollutants from the atmosphere. The foliage captures and removes a wide range of smog producing compounds such as ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, airborne ammonia and some sulphur dioxide. Mature trees improve our aesthetic environment, absorb noise, are traffic calming, reduce stress and create a peaceful place to relax and socialize. Trees intercept rainwater aiding soil absorption for gradual release into the streams, preventing flooding. Filtering toxins and impurities , and extending water availability into dry months when it is most needed. Trees cleanse ground water as it filters through their root systems. Suburban neighborhoods with mature trees can be up to 11 degrees cooler in summer heat than neighborhoods without trees. Information for the Homeowner Many fertilizers have super-high levels of nitrates and phosphates that keep plants growing fast and healthy. However, these same nutrients that keep plants healthy can spell disaster for our ecosystems. Never dispose of unused fertilizers down a drain: not your sink and not the storm drain .Also, beware ! Many commercial fertilizers are combined with toxic herbicides. Know what you are buying and only buy and use exactly what you need. |
Schedule of Meetings 2008 The Verona Environmental Commission meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm - 9pm in the Verona Community Center conference room. The public is wecome to attend the meetings. Jan. 15 Members
Pesticides : Read the Label Many people do not even realize that the chemicals they put on their lawns are pesticides."Weed 'n' Feed" products, for example, are the most widely used pesticides, but many homeowners do not know the "Weed" portion is a pesticide. If you must use chemicals, look for an EPA registration number on the product. If you find it on the list of ingredients on the label, it's a pesticide. Just because a product is registered with the EPA does not mean it is safe. In fact, all pesticides are poisons and are considered by the EPA to be hazardous wastes. Manufacturers use the words caution,warning and danger to designate human toxicity. Choose ready-to-use products that have the word "caution" on the label if you must use a pesticide. Avoid those marked warning or danger or poison! There are many other warnings on the label as well that an applicator must be aware of. Several types of cancer, neurological disease, and birth defects have all been associated with exposure to common lawn care pesticides so it is best to avoid them completely if possible ! Source of two articles was the" Hackensack Riverkeeper " Links The Source Water Assessments (searchable by municipality) For more on Source Water Assessments, visit the USEPA's
source water page at New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection: Rutgers Cooperative Extension: www.rce.rutgers.edu Trees of New Jersey: www.treeguide.com/states/NJ.asp
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
