ABOUT

ABOUT OUR FIGHT

Friends Against Bright Feeds is now focused on educating the community about the construction of this solid waste recycling center that will negatively impact our safety, quality of life, and environment. We are ultimately putting pressure on our elected officials and Bright Feeds to stop the development of a structure in an area that isn’t zoned for this use. 

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Members of Friends Against Bright Feeds believe that a recycling center of this scale will negatively impact our community, with several significant concerns:​

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• Tons of solid waste and improper zoning: Bright Feeds has said repeatedly that they plan to haul 300-400 tons of waste per day from their facility in NJ and their website shows that they receive tipping fees for hauling away this waste. This means that they are a solid waste recycler and are not zoned to operate on the proposed property 

• Exposure to noxious odors: The resource recovery process will mean that 300-400 tons of food waste will be brought into our town each day. This waste will create smells similar to a landfill and will make it nearly impossible to enjoy being outside. These types of facilities throughout the North East have been noted for their pungent smells and have been repeatedly fined for odor violations. In fact, The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) investigated and issued a violation for nuisance odors in June 2024, with locals reporting that it smelled like rotting food. 

• Significant noise pollution:  Between the recycling equipment and backing trucks, we will experience significant noise pollution that will make it difficult to be outside. Local residents in Berlin CT noted that even inside of their home, it sounded like a vacuum cleaner was being run up to 1 mile away from the facility.  Even after mitigation, Bright Feeds is currently operating only during the day at their location in Berlin, CT because the facility cannot meet local noise ordinances. 

• Infrastructure cannot support this: PennDot agreed to not use the roadway for its own trucks because Potters Lane is so narrow (18.5 ft wide), yet Bright Feeds plans to use up to 75 ft tractor and trailers here. The road will have to be expanded and widened to avoid posing serious safety risks to other drivers and kids on buses. 

• Impact on water and environmental risks: Bright Feeds use of water may deplete wells of local residents, requiring most residents in the area to drill existing wells significantly deeper (at a cost of about $15,000 per well). They also pose an environmental risk with related companies being charged for polluting local streams and charged by the state attorney general in NJ. The water runoff from the facility will put the entire Tohickon Watershed and Delaware River at risk. 

• A significant safety risk: At least 20+ semis coming into our township each day will pose safety hazards and increase the risk for drivers and bikers in our community. Operations near the gas pipeline also will put our township at significant risk of a gas explosion and the facility in Berlin CT has already had two instances where the fire department has been deployed

• Detrimental economic impact: Multiple studies have shown that property values near recycling centers fall by 10-20% as a result of these types of facilities. This will cost residents hundreds of thousands of dollars and also impact our townships tax revenues. 

• A threat to our way of life: The odor, noise, and traffic will impact the entire fabric of our community. We will no longer be able to enjoy being outdoors, ride bikes with our kids, and enjoy the beauty of our township

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Ultimately, we believe there are far more appropriate uses for this over 30+ acre parcel of land zoned for LIGHT Industrial only (just as it’s been operated as such for many, many years) that will fit appropriately and legally for the land buyer and residents alike. 

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Join the Fight! 

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