Mounds of pasta dumped in New Jersey near stream calls into question Old Bridge's lack of bulk trash pickup
OLD BRIDGE, N.J. -- It's a macaroni mystery.
Someone found tons of pasta dumped in New Jersey - specifically, in the woods in Old Bridge. Photos from the discovery have gone viral online.
But as CBS2 found out Thursday, it sparked conversations about another issue in town.
It's story that has been gaining national and even international attention. Hundreds of pounds of pasta was dumped along the side of a stream in Middlesex County.
It sure was what it looked like -- mounds of pasta, noodles and macaroni dumped on the side of a stream, perhaps hundreds of pounds of it.
"Someone has a big pot, making all that pasta. I don't know," said Christina Yudelson of Marlboro.
Pictures were taken by Nina Jochnowitz last week. She got a call from residents near the stream off Hilliard Road in Old Bridge about the food waste, which was picked up hours later by the town DPW. Jochnowitz said the noodles and macaroni were dumped by a resident with a history of mental illness. CBS2 has not heard of any motive.
"The township has no way of managing this waste," Jochnowitz said.
The dumping has brought attention to a larger issue within the town -- the fact that it doesn't have bulk trash pickup.
"Out of all the things I've seen dumped, the pasta is one of the least objectional to me," said Chris Eskesen of Old Bridge.
When driving down Old Waterworks Road, more trash, like mattresses and furniture, can be seen kicked to the curb.
For more than a decade, Eskesen has been removing trash from road and waterways, he believes, that is left there because there isn't bulk trash pickup in town, which each household would have to pay for.
"I'd also really like to see changes in terms of harsher penalties for littering," Eskesen said.
"You can drive around these neighborhoods and you could see garbage everywhere," Jochnowitz said.
The oodles of noodles have sparked conversation across the country and even the world. Some noodles and macaroni were still left on the side of the stream, and were starting to smell rancid after about a week already. Environmental experts say the runoff from this could spread bacteria and attract more pests, and could be a concern for dog walkers, like Lila's owner, Mike Torres.
"I wouldn't have let her eat it, but that is dangerous, though. People leave like chicken wings and stuff, though," Torres said.
The mayor's office and police department haven't returned CBS2's requests for comment.