HOWELL – An 11-year-old boy was one of many residents who spoke out against a company’s plan to create a solid waste transfer station on Randolph Road in Howell.
When it came time for members of the public to air their views during a Jan. 25 meeting at Howell town hall, Robbie Everett, 11, of Howell, calmly walked up to the podium to address the members of the Monmouth County Solid Waste Advisory Council (SWAC).
SWAC was soliciting comments on a plan put forth by Resource Engineering to use a property on Randolph Road as a solid waste transfer station. The company is proposing to accept 1,500 tons per day of bulky cleanup debris and bulky construction debris for sorting, removal of recyclable materials and subsequent transfer to an out-of-state facility for final disposal.
Reading from a statement, Robbie said, “When my mom told me about this project (in Howell), my first question was why not use the (county reclamation) facility in Tinton Falls? To me that location makes more sense, it is closer to highways that these types of trucks already use.”
The young man said his mom took him for a drive to Randolph Road so he could see where the proposed solid waste transfer station would be located.
“I pointed out that trucks will need to use Route 547, a two-lane road, and I asked what happens when there is an accident? They would be going on roads with a lot of houses not designed for truck traffic,” Robbie told the members of SWAC.
He suggested that using the county reclamation center in Tinton Falls would allow easy access to Route 18, Route 34, Route 35, the four-lane Shafto Road and the Garden State Parkway.
“Please consider using land and roadways already in structure for this type of facility, it is only 14 miles away,” Robbie said.
He then looked up from his written statement and offered a final comment to the SWAC members.
“I think this dump is really bad for the town,” Robbie said.
The boy walked back to his seat, smiling as those in attendance applauded him.
The application proposing the solid waste transfer station is expected to come up for discussion at a meeting of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders on a date to be determined.
