The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District continues to lead the way in preserving and protecting our environment.
When it comes to running the District Facilities, we strive to conserve and protect our environment, while still providing the best service we possibly can. We minimize waste and use recycled materials whenever and wherever possible, while constantly looking for ways to reduce energy consumption and our carbon footprint.
The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District strives to follow four basic principals on saving our planet and helping our community.
RECYCLE — We recycle all the goods and materials used in our offices , as well as buy only recycled materials when available.
REDUCE — We buy 100% Recycled Copy Paper, which not only helps reduce waste, but saves trees. When it comes to lighting, we use energy saving LED bulbs and utilize motion sensing light switches that turn lights on only when someone is occupying a room.
REUSE -– The District’s Food to Fuel program is an example of how we reuse a waste product from local restaurants within our own District. We convert this waste product into biofuel that can be used in District diesel vehicles and generators. It is a great way of not only reusing resources, but also reducing costs. We also use a waste product of our treatment process. Methane gas from our digestion tanks is used as a fuel to run our Microturbines…generating thousands of dollars in electricity and heat for our facility.
PRESERVE — It is our hope that our efforts can not only help to preserve our Great Neck home, but to be an example for others to follow.
SOLAR PANELS
The District has recently constructed a 13KW Solar Panel System that continually generates power for the treatment plant, utilizing energy from the sun. This system is virtually maintenance free, and allows the District to get one step closer to its goal of being electrically independent.
MICROTURBINES
Along with assistance provided by the New York State Environmental Facility Corporation, the District has installed a 130KW Microturbine facility. This facility, (the only one of its kind on Long Island) will utilize waste gas that is created during the sewage treatment process to generate electricity and heat for the treatment process of tanks and buildings. The generation of electricity and heat makes this project a true Co-Generation facility. The District is proud of our forward thinking and the example that this facility sets for other wastewater treatment plants all over the country.
DISPOSAL OF MEDICATION
The District is a leading advocate for proper medicine disposal. Unwanted medicines should NEVER be disposed of by flushing them down the toilet or by being tossed with the everyday garbage. These medicines can wind up in the sewer system and water supply or be eaten by wild life, if not disposed of properly.
Most local pharmacies offer affordable and easy to use kits that can be bought for just a few dollars where you can easily send all of your unused and unwanted prescriptions to a safe location for proper disposal.
The TakeAway system for instance is just one of many disposal kits you can buy. Once you fill up the pre paid envelope (included in the purchase price of the kit) you seal it and send it away and the medications are safely and securely disposed of.
When it comes to office supplies the District goes that extra step to make sure that we find quality office goods that are made from up to 100% recycled materials.
Just some of the various office supplies we use that are all made of recycled materials are:
- 100% Biodegradable Garbage Liners
- Eco-Products™ Compostable Cups
- Eco-Products™ Renewable Wooden Stir Sticks
- Marcal® 100% Recycled Bath Tissue
- Marcal® 100% Recycled Paper Towels
- Marcal® 100% Recycled Napkins
- B. Mason Brand 30% Recycled Copy Paper
- B. Mason Brand 100% Recycled Hanging Folders (Letter and Legal Sized)
- Various Variety of Recycled File Folders (Letter and Legal Sized)
- Ampad™ Recycled Writing Pads (Letter Sized)
- At-A-Glance® Various Recyclable Planners and Calendars
BATTERIES AND PRINTING
As you can imagine, a government building such as the sewer treatment plant, can go through a lot of batteries and printing cartridges in a short amount of time. When people don’t recycle these, they wind up in landfills where the chemicals within them can leak into the soil or water supply.
PRINTING CARTRIDGES
For printing, the District recycles its ink and toner cartridges . The empty cartridges are sent back to the particular company themselves as part of their own green programs that will have them recycled for use again.
BATTERY RECYLING
The District recycles all of its alkaline batteries utilizing a battery recycling kit. We are secure in the knowledge that all of our used batteries are properly and environmentally disposed of, keeping them out of our landfills and groundwater.
The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District are proud to continue our efforts to keep our District “GREEN” and hope that others will join us in any way they can. It doesn’t take much to make a difference.
If you have any questions about the District’s Green Program, or any suggestions, or ideas on how we can do even more to help recycle, reduce, reuse and preserve, please don’t hesitate to contact us.