By ROBERT LINNEHAN | The Voorhees Sun
An interesting shared service agreement was recently finalized, as Voorhees Township and Rutgers University will be working together to solve the problem of a contaminated landfill in the community.
The committee approved an agreement with the local state college to allow students to inspect and devise a detailed report on possible uses of the Buzby Landfill property.
The 37-acre property was an old landfill that was found to be contaminated after years of trash dumping.
The state Department of Environmental Protection demanded a cleanup of the property.
Now, the property is safe for public use and township representatives are weighing their options for the site.
To help with the decision, the Voorhees Environmental and Cultural Education Foundation contacted Rutgers University to see if any professionals would be available for consultation.
Dr. Beth Ravit — a Rutgers University instructor of environmental sciences — said Helen Arvin of VECEF had previously contacted her in regard to the pond area of Buzby Landfill.
Ravit and Arvin agreed that this would be an interesting project to work on.
The Voorhees Committee also agreed, as the members unanimously approved the contract for the shared service.
Starting in September when classes start for Rutgers students, Ravit said two departments will begin bringing students to the township to inspect the site.
The students will be guided by the department heads throughout the entire project, Ravit said.
Students from the department of landscape architecture and design and the department of environmental sciences will team together to complete an all-inclusive report detailing the options for the property, she said.
“We’re very excited about the project, because often you have students who specialize in just one area. They get out of the university, they know their discipline, but they don’t have a lot of experience working with people of other skill sets. When you’re addressing an environmental question such as this one you need multiple disciplines to be successful,” Ravit said. “The Buzby Landfill is a great example. Here we have a previously contaminated area with groundwater issues, and water moving under the surface of the site which can have contaminants in it.”
Students will come to the township and meet the public to garner ideas about what the community wants at the site, Ravit said.
Students often have a fresh mindset to what can be done with a property, she said, which can be invaluable for a site that has long been debated within a community.
Projects like this are crucial for a student’s development, Ravit said, and an invaluable source of real world experience.
“We think these projects are very important. The knowledge students get at the university is critical for their success and it must be applied to real world situations,” she said. “One of the first things we do is have students meet with members of the community and the stakeholders involved. Just getting the students into the public, real world realm is so important.”
Previously, students worked at the Hackensack Water Works at Oradell. To read about the project please visit Cues.Rutgers.edu.
