NBC 10 Jersey Shore reporter Ted Greenberg recently examined a nasty byproduct of new home construction.
Environmentally harmful construction debris.
Especially along the Jersey shore.
Especially in Margate where every block seems to have multiple construction projects underway, all at the same time. Neighbors surrounded by airborne contaminants.
Non-stop new construction is great, but it does come with a heavy price.
Voluminous debris and environmental pollutants spreading beyond the construction site.
Power-saws are a main culprit spitting out ‘forever’ plastics that never go away.
Ugh. On-site workers inhaling all that plastic. No masks.
The cutting of various building materials (Trex, PVC, etc) creates twisty shards of plastic and powder like dust. It might look like harmless snow or pollen or petals. But it’s not. These are plastics. Micro-contaminants. You can sometimes see it floating in the bay. You can breathe this stuff in, too.
Members of the Sustainable Margate Green Team Sherri Lilienfeld and Steve Jasiecki have amplified a call to action.
The time is now. Margate must address this harmful construction waste.
We just want builders to be conscious of it, be aware of it.
Green Team is also urging the City of Margate to take action as well.
Sherri Lilienfeld, a local Real Estate executive shares: Dangerous dust is getting into the air and our backyard soil. Storm-water systems too.
Margate officials now drawing up a new ordinance that requires contractors to do a better job of keeping debris contained and cleaned-up each day.
Margate Construction Official Jim Galantino: We don’t want builders cutting the materials out in the middle of the street.
Margate is the first area Green Team to step up in a big way. Other communities are starting to pay attention too.
City of Margate has already agreed to distribute flyers to construction crews; a list of recommended work-site best practices in both English and Spanish.
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NBC 10 News.
