Two of the Downbeach area’s green teams took top honors at the annual Sustainable Jersey luncheon held at the Sheraton Hotel during the NJ League of Municipalities Conference, Nov. 19.
Sustainable Margate, headed by Chairman Steve Jasiecki, received the statewide organization’s Creativity and Innovation Award, which recognizes green teams for their forward thinking actions that solve real-world problems. Sustainable Margate was recognized for being the first New Jersey municipality to bring to the forefront the dangers of microplastics in the construction industry.
Suustainable Margate Green Team.
Green team member Sherri Lilienfeld accepted the award on behalf of the team.
“When we first realized how building materials were being cut and the amount of contamination coming from microplastics, we were alarmed that contractors didn’t realize the health and environmental hazards being created,” she said.
After seeking out regulations, the team discovered there were none on the books in any New Jersey municipality. Lilienfeld, a former engineer and current real estate agent, took it upon herself to write up a pollution containment ordinance for consideration of the Margate Board of Commissioners. The commissioners adopted a resolution recommending actions contractors can take to protect the stormwater management system, the ground around construction sites and the marine environment that surrounds the shore town.
Lilienfeld said that in addition to microplastics, there is contamination coming from other building materials, such as fiberglass, silica dust and Styrofoam.
“These contaminants enter our lakes, rivers, streams, bays, ocean, the air, our food and our bodies,” she said.
The team would like to see building codes updated and perhaps make it state law.
“Once we received media attention for our efforts, other communities started coming to us and wanted to learn how to adopt similar regulations in their communities,” she said.
Since starting the educational campaign more than a year ago, other communities have adopted safe worksites ordinances, including in Ventnor, Longport, Somers Point and Egg Harbor City, and word is spreading around the state with interest coming from other municipalities as well.
The collaboration has attracted the attention of other environmental organizations, including Clean Ocean Action, Surfrider Foundation South Jersey Chapter, Beyond Plastics and Sustainable Jersey.
Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon said the collaboration could result in a new Sustainable Jersey action being created, which if implemented could allow green teams to obtain points toward their certification process.
Also during the luncheon, Sustainable Margate was awarded recertification for three years at the Bronze level. Margate garnered 210 points for implementing actions that protect the environment.
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