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Spring cleaning is upon us all.

Rather than discarding those unwanted treasures to the landfill, the city will host a Recycling Marketplace from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the center island in the municipal parking lot at 1 Municipal Plaza along Cookman Avenue.

Cancelled last week due to inclement weather, the marketplace is a part of the city’s planned Earth Day events, which includes a Spring Cleanup hosted by the Quality of Life Committee. It is a part of their Pride in the Park campaign. 

Volunteers, which will include Asbury Park School District students, will walk from one end of Memorial Drive to the other to collect debris, Councilwoman Yvonne Clayton said. Volunteers will meet in City Hall’s lobby and all supplies will be provided.

The Recycling Marketplace is a free exchange of clothing, shoes, accessories, sports equipment, home goods, toys, small appliances, and more. No mattresses, televisions, computers, large furniture, old electronics, printers, paints, or batteries will be accepted.

And as you’re cleaning out those cabinets put aside expired and unneeded medications to drop off at the Asbury Park Police Department, which is hosting the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Take Back Day campaign.

Pills will be accepted for proper disposal from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. in the municipal lobby. No needles will be accepted.

The initiative addresses a vital public safety and health issue because medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse, organizers said. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are at an alarmingly high rate. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

In its seven years, the national initiative has collected over 7.1 million pounds, more than 3,500 ton, of prescription pills.

[Photos of previous cleanups courtesy of the Quality of Life Committee]

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