Brookhaven town residents want a recycling program that is simple to understand, easy to participate in, beneficial to the environment, cost-effective for tax-payers, and fits the routine of our daily lives. This petition calls on Supervisor Ed Romaine and the Town Council to implement a 6-Point Recycling Plan, backed by research and a study of successful municipal recycling plans, that will achieve this goal.

What we have now is a complete mess, brought about by the end of single-stream recycling, and the mismanagement/lack of foresight by our Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, and our Town Council majority.

What happened to our old recycling plan?

From 2015 until November 2018, Brookhaven participated in single-stream recycling. That's when all of your recyclables are thrown into one big bin, brought to the curb, and hauled away by a town contractor (Green Stream). The success of the program was based on it's convenience, and the fact that China was buying all of our domestic raw materials. When the Chinese government stopped this practice in 2017, single-stream markets throughout the United States began to collapse. The writing was on the wall for the end of single-stream recycling, but Supervisor Ed Romaine and the Town Council Majority decided to stick out their 25-year single-stream contract. Predictably, Green Stream pulled out of the contract by the end of the year, and with little-to-no warning, residents had their recycling program switched overnight. To make matters worse, curbside glass recycling was ended, and a town of almost 500,000 people was asked to recycle their glass at one of only 6 glass recycling centers.

What is the current town recycling program?

What Brookhaven has now is called "bi-weekly dual-stream". That means resident sort their own recyclables, and each type of recyclable gets picked up on a collection day that occurs bi-weekly. So while there are weekly recycling pickup days for different types, you can only recycle paper, plastics, etc. on one day every other week. Glass is no longer recycled at the curb, and must be brought to one of a handful of glass recycling centers, some which require residents to drive 15-20 mins from their homes.

The disastrous result

The key to any good recycling program is community buy-in. Meaning, the town should have taken a read of what was happening to single-stream recycling programs all over the country since the beginning of 2018, planned for a transition to a new program, and held community forums during hours where working people can attend, in every council district, to give working people a chance to get information and give feedback on a planning proposal. What happened instead was an overnight change, and a postcard sent to residents, "Hey, by the way, our recycling program is completely changing. Here are the new pickups days, here's what you can and can't recycle, good luck!"

This led to confusion, and confusion resulted in recyclables (like glass) being thrown into the trash, and sent to a landfill that is already near capacity and rife with environmental and fiscal complications related to its scheduled 2024 closing. Recycling participation rates have plummeted, and the bi-weekly dual-stream program is one of the least cost-effective, least environmentally beneficial ways of recycling.

My proposal for a 6-Point Recycling Plan

The condition of Brookhaven's recycling program, along with our disastrous roads and landfill emergency, was a major reason why I decided to step up and run against Ed Romaine for Brookhaven Town Supervisor. I've had the opportunity not only to research the problem, but I've spoken to residents at their front doors over the last month to ask them how a new recycling program could benefit them. I've also spoken with recycling experts and leaders in municipalities around the country, for advice on how Brookhaven could successfully emulate other programs. The result is what I call my 6-Point Recycling Plan for Brookhaven, and it's what I'm asking you to sign onto, so we can bring it to Supervisor Ed Romaine and ask him and the Town Council to adopt and implement it. As a candidate for office who is challenging Romaine, I'm not keeping this to myself. My concern is that Brookhaven recycles again - and this is the best plan to make that happen. I hope you'll join me in asking Ed Romaine to implement my 6-Point Recycling Plan:

1. Weekly Multi-Stream Pickup - the most cost-effective method of recycling is multi-sort or "multi-stream" pickup on a weekly basis. The days of single-stream are over, and residents will have to sort their own recyclables. However, we should have an opportunity each week to recycle each type of material. The net cost per ton would decrease, the recycling rate would nearly double, and the rate of materials that are actually recycled by the company (and not contaminated) would rise exponentially. Research demonstrates that multi-stream is best, and weekly pickup is more convenient, and leads to better recycling habits for residents.
2. Monthly Curbside Glass Collection - Supervisor Ed Romaine has falsely claimed that there is no market for glass. Market research says otherwise, but the key is, glass must be sorted by brown, green, and clear types. Weekly or bi-weekly curbside collection is difficult, but we can't afford not to have a monthly curbside pickup day, which would increase participation and divert glass from the landfill.
3. Glass Drop-off Center for Every 20k Residents - No resident should be driving 20 minutes to recycle their glass. The reality is that this is prohibitive, and results in more glass getting thrown into the trash. Though this increase in drop-off centers would be a cost to the town, the cost of collecting and processing glass is still cheaper and more sustainable than landfilling it, as municipalities like Sarasota, FL and Mecklenburg County, NC can attest to.
4. Interactive Recycling Website and Help Line - The postcards, facebook ads, and paltry town website on dual-stream recycling have helped no one. The town must develop an interactive website that informs residents on what and how to recycle, with easy-to-follow guides, videos, and examples. This must be paired with a help line where residents can call and speak with a live expert, and have their questions answered. No more dragging bins back from the curb with "Sorry!" stickers.
5. Community Information Events - Once implemented, the town must hold community information events, both during day-time hours for retirees, and evening hours for working people and students, so that all may attend and learn or have their questions answered by public and elected officials. These events should happen monthly for the first year of implementation, and quarterly thereafter.
6. Public Hearings - Prior to implementation, the preceding 5 points must be presented in full detail to the public at hearings that will be scheduled in all six council districts, during evening hours so that all may participate. These six public hearings will give residents an opportunity to review the implementation plan, speak to experts and elected officials, give feedback, and allow for any necessary modifications to occur. This is true community buy-in.

This plan could be achieved in 6 months, and give residents the sustainable, convenient, environmentally-sound recycling plan that they deserve. If you like my plan, and want to see it considered for implementation, sign this petition, share it on Facebook, and demand that Supervisor Ed Romaine and the Town Council Majority take my 6-Point Recycling Plan up at a future Town Meeting.

For more information on my campaign for Town Supervisor, you can visit my website, or LIKE my page on Facebook to get updates on my plan to give Brookhaven a New Choice.