By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
As so many businesses are affected by the current coronavirus crisis, others have a special niche that keeps them working.
James Mazza of Mazza Recycling, with a location in Neptune, said his business is up and running.
“Our main focus is to protect our employees and customers. We collect and process waste and recycling. We have an obligation to the community and the environment,” he said.
Mazza has three main divisions: recycling, mulch and scrap metal.
The company has two sites, a 55-acre plant in Tinton Falls and a Neptune scrap metal plant on Memorial Drive.
All volume of waste collected is down, Mazza said. He has, however, been able to keep all his employees working even as the coronavirus continues to takes its toll.
He said waste from restaurants and big box stores is down about 50 percent, but with residents sheltering at home residential recycling has picked up about 20 percent.
The company services areas from Atlantic County to Middlesex County.
Mazza said as of now construction is still considered an essential business and his company is in the middle of servicing a large ongoing construction project.
Other smaller projects, such as kitchen remodeling and home construction, though, are less certain.
“People don’t want construction workers coming into their house right now,” he said.
Landscaping is also part of Mazza’s business and so far that part of the business is not showing signs of slowing.
That season runs from March to June where they provide mulch and topsoil to landscape shopping centers, retail centers and corporate parks as well as private residences.
“With more people staying home they still want their backyard to look nice,” he said.
With many losing their jobs or having hours cut, however, they may not have as much money to spend on landscaping, he acknowledged.
Mazza says for now he is taking it day by day, facing the uncertainty the coronavirus brings.
“Twenty years ago we would know how this is going to play out,” he said. “We’re watching our spending, watching our hours.”
Despite these uncertain times, the company is currently working on constructing a new single stream recycling plant for paper and plastic at the Tinton Falls location.
