Senator claims criminal activity continues in New Jersey recycling industry

According to NJ Spotlight, a news website for New Jersey, loopholes in state legislation allow for the participation of organized crime in the New Jersey recycling industry.

Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, the Senate Environment and Energy committee held a hearing on S-2306 to explore the possibility of expanding the law’s reach and institute background checks under the A-901 program. 

“At the end of the day, we need a system that keeps the bad actor out,” said Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex), at the hearing. “The mob’s back in the solid waste industry. They’re back big time.” 

The proposal was put forth in a 2011 report by the State Committee of Investigation (SCI) when it was discovered organized crime and convicted felons were exploiting loopholes in the law to dump contaminated fill and debris in environmentally sensitive areas for profit, the article says.

Cases included a self-described dirt broker shoring up a bluff in Old Bridge of Raritan Bay with contaminated fill, and the owner of a South Jersey recycling center taking in contaminated soil and concrete. 

“This is not our finest hour,” Smith said at the hearing. “The whole point of the A-901 program is supposed to be preventive. It’s supposed to get the stinkers out before they do harm. This program is not working.”