Wall Receives $76K Recycling Grant From State DEP

WALL, NJ — Wall Township is receiving a grant of more than $75,000 from the state to enhance its recycling efforts, the state Department of Environmental Protection announced.

The grant was part of $14.3 million awarded to communities across New Jersey this week through the state's Recycling Enhancement Act, and are based on 2015 recycling performance, the DEP said.

"Recycling is one thing each one of us can do every day to protect the environment," DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said. "Recycling conserves resources, results in less waste going to disposal facilities, helps local governments save money, and creates jobs and economic growth. We are very proud of the many cities and towns across the state that continue to increase their recycling rates."

Wall is receiving $75,598, based on recycling more than 96,000 tons of material in 2015.

The DEP’s recycling grant program is funded by a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed at solid waste facilities across the state. Each award is based on materials collected and recycled, and the grants are to be used in various ways to improve recycling efforts, including funding recycling coordinators, education outreach and curbside pickup programs.

Based on 2015 data, New Jersey generated slightly more than 10 million tons of municipal solid waste, with 4.3 million pounds recycled. This resulted in a 43 percent municipal solid waste recycling rate, a 2 percent increase in recycling compared to 2014, the DEP said. New Jersey’s municipal solid waste recycling rate is well above the national average of about 34 percent, but short of the state’s 50 percent goal.

New Jersey was the first state to require residents to recycle with the adoption in 1987 of the New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act, which requires recycling by residents, businesses and institutions such as schools and hospitals.

"New Jersey is proud of being the first state to require recycling, and remaining a leader in the nation through our communities’ strong recycling efforts," said Mark Pedersen, DEP’s assistant commissioner for site remediation and waste management. "We are pleased to see that residents, schools and businesses continue to do their part by integrating recycling into their daily lives and challenge them to help us achieve our 50 percent target."

Overall, New Jersey in 2015 generated 23.8 million tons of solid waste, which includes municipal waste plus construction debris and other types of non-municipal waste. Of this, more than 14.9 million tons were recycled, for an overall recycling rate of 63 percent, a one percent increase compared to the previous year.

Recycling logo, photo by krosseel via Morguefile