Free Styrofoam Recycling for Union County Residents in 9 Towns

Nine municipalities in Union County have locations available for their residents to recycle clean “block” type, #6 Styrofoam. These drop-off locations are free of charge and are for use by the residents of each municipality only, not for businesses.

Residents are also advised that dropping off Styrofoam at a commercial recycling establishment is prohibited. Commercial recycling businesses do not accept material from the general public.

“We encourage residents of these nine municipalities to participate in their local Styrofoam recycling program,” said County Commission Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Recycling ‘block’ Styrofoam enhances our County recycling efforts and ties in with other green initiatives we are actively promoting here in Union County.”

Union County supports municipal Styrofoam recycling programs by providing signs, educational materials, and recycling bins.

Typical examples of acceptable foam include furniture and appliance packaging stamped with the #6 symbol. Other types of foam items, such as packing “peanuts,” egg cartons, or food containers, are NOT accepted. Wet or dirty foam will be rejected. Foam items without the #6 stamp must be disposed with regular household garbage.

The drop-off locations are for residential use only, as a municipal service. Residents should never drop off unsolicited foam or other household waste at a commercial location.

Nine municipalities in Union County provide public locations for their residents to recycle Styrofoam. These sites are not available to out-of-town residents:

Berkeley Heights

Department of Public Works, 101 Berkeley Avenue, first Saturday of each month from 9:00 A.M. to Noon.

Cranford

Cranford Conservation Center, 210 Birchwood Avenue, Wednesdays from 9:30 A.M. to 3:20 P.M., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 A.M. to 3:50 P.M.

New Providence

Department of Public Works, 29 Park Place, first and third Saturday of each month from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

Plainfield

PMUA Transfer Station, 95 Rock Avenue, Monday through Friday from 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., and Saturdays from 8:00 A.M. to 1:45 P.M.

Scotch Plains

Department of Public Works, 2445 Plainfield Avenue, on Thursdays between 8:00 A.M. and 2:30 P.M.

Springfield

Municipal pool parking lot, 40-44 Morrison Road, first Saturday of every month between 7:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M.

Summit

Summit Transfer station, 40 New Providence Avenue, Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 A.M. to 3:45 P.M., and Saturdays from 7:30 A.M. to 4:45 P.M.

Union

Department of Public Works, 1 Swanstrom Place, Monday through Friday from 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Westfield

Westfield Conservation Center, 1300 Lamberts Mill Road. Visit westfieldnj.gov for days and hours of operation.

Please contact your municipal recycling coordinator to confirm dates and times. As a reminder, these locations are only available to residents of their host municipality. To get more information about your local recycling program, contact your municipal recycling coordinator or download the free Recycle Coach app.

For information on free paper shredding, household hazardous waste disposal, scrap metal recycling and other programs hosted by Union County, visit ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.

Quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities are available at ucnj.org/green-connection.

For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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