By John Heinis/The Jersey Journal

NORTH BERGEN — Eagle Recycling has been the neighbor from hell, according to North Bergen residents and township officials.

“You constantly have to deal with clouds of dirt, especially on a hot, dry summer day,” said Mike Moran, 22, one unhappy neighbor who lives near the facility located on Dell Avenue near Tonnelle Avenue and 47th Street.

Another resident says the company, which has been cited for illegal dumping and fire and safety code violations, should be shut down.

“God knows what they’re dumping down there . . . we’re paying taxes so the township should do something to shut them down,” said the resident.

Janice Zorovich, a local environmentalist, wants Eagle Recycling shut down because she is convinced that asbestos particles are being released from the plant. The state Department of Environmental Protection denied the assertion.

Township spokesman Phil Swibinski said North Bergen has done everything it can to put the company out of business.

“North Bergen has been vigilant in imposing fines and closures on Eagle Recycling and has fined them over $50,000 in the last year alone for fire violations,” he said.

****Swibinski Fails to advise of the tens of thousands of dollars Sacco has received in campaign contribution from this illegal dumper******

In November, North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue responded to the fourth fire at the facility in 17 months, he said.

“North Bergen spent over $20,000 in legal fees to determine how it can shut Eagle down permanently, but ultimately that responsibility lies with the Hudson Regional Health Commission and the state Department of Environmental Protection,” Swibinski said.

And yesterday, township commissioners approved an ordinance that bans trucks over 5 tons gross weight from several side streets between Tonnelle
and Dell avenues. Eagle is located at 4711 Dell Ave. between 47th and 48th streets.

In business at its North Bergen location for roughly 10 years, Eagle Recycling processes recyclables and disposes of construction and demolition debris.

In April last year, Eagle Recycling pleaded guilty in federal court to dumping 8,100 tons of pulverized construction and demolition debris including asbestos in New York and then attempting to destroy documents to conceal it.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Lieze Associates, the parent company of Eagle Recycling, in December 2010 for workplace safety and health hazards at the North Bergen facility.

Officials for Lieze Associates could not be reached for comment and Eagle Recycling declined to comment both in person and via telephone.

“The DEP and the county have been routinely monitoring that site and we have not observed any issues with improper handling of asbestos,” said DEP spokesman Larry Hajna.

In the meantime, township officials say they are trying to make the company live up to its responsibilities.

As part of an out-of-court settlement in November, Eagle Recycling agreed to pay the township $222,781 owed for “hosting fees” for the period July 2010 to July 2011, officials said.