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VOLUNTEER LITTER CLEANUP

BAGS HEAPS OF TRASH

The weather forecast predicted thunderstorms, but South Plainfield’s fearless volunteers came out anyway during the week of April 12 – 19 to wage war against trash.  Volunteer Litter Pickup Day turned out dry and mild, and the Pickup Picnic at the PAL Building was held outdoors following a morning of pulling litter out of shrubs and mud.  Mayor Butrico was on hand to read his Volunteer Litter Cleanup Week Proclamation.  This year, he recognized long-time friends of the Clean Communities program.  He gave certificates of appreciation to the Kurlands of Home Town Heros, who annually have donated a six-foot sub for the picnic, to Rick Patel of Krauszer’s for donating soda, to Yasir Elseht of Bruno’s Pizza Factory, for discounted pizza and to Rick McCriskin of the McCriskin-Gufstason Funeral Home, for donating the cost of the pizza.  Mayor Butrico also distributed certificates of accomplishment to the thirteen businesses and individuals who currently participate in the Adopt-A-Spot program.   Other highlights of the Picnic included a visit from MCBlue, the Middlesex County Recycling Robot.  MCBlue entertained the children and taught them about the hows and whys of recycling. 

The piles of orange bags around town bore witness to the dedication of the volunteers as well as to the thoughtlessness of fellow citizens who left the litter for others to clean up.  Pinto Brothers and the Borough’s Recycling Program groundskeepers shared the job of collecting and disposing of the trash.

By the end of the week, cleanup reports had come in for twenty-eight locations, including parks, roadsides, streams and vacant lots.  Over 200 people cleaned 5 miles of road and 60 acres of public land.  They filled 198 orange bags. They picked up an estimated 4.9 tons of trash and 400 pounds of recyclable litter.  They spent about 480 hours doing this.  While the Borough can take pride in this accomplishment, the Clean Communities Advisory Board would prefer to see an end to littering.