The Sherrill Administration is awarding $16.2 million in annual grants to help community recycling programs improve their waste reduction and recycling practices, Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak announced today.
The award amounts are based on the amount of recycling each community reported during 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. Local recycling programs use grant funds to make improvements to recycling centers, set up household hazardous waste collection events, deploy more public recycling receptacles, maintain leaf composting operations and run recycling education programs. The grants are funded through a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed statewide at solid waste facilities, per the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act.
“New Jersey is a national leader in conserving natural resources through strong local recycling programs that reduce pollution, create jobs and support a multi-billion-dollar recycling industry,” said Acting Commissioner Potosnak. “These annual grants enable communities to grow and improve their programs while educating residents about the importance of recycling properly.”
Recycling Performance – By the Numbers
In 2023, New Jersey generated 21,715,349 tons of solid waste, which includes municipal solid waste and non-municipal waste such as construction debris. Of this, 11,469,020 tons were recycled for a 53 percent overall recycling rate, a one-percent decrease from the previous year.
More specifically, New Jersey recycled 3,442,632 tons and disposed of 6,077,402 tons of municipal solid waste for a 36 percent municipal solid waste recycling rate. This represents a two-percent decrease from 2022. To illustrate this data, each resident on average disposed of 3.5 pounds and recycled 2.1 pounds of waste each day.
Grant Awards
Local governments receiving grants of more than $100,000:
- Bergen County: Paramus, $134,505
- Cumberland County: Millville, $121,283; Vineland, $563,427
- Essex County: East Orange, $103,697; Newark, $306,848
- Gloucester County: Logan, $223,748
- Hudson County: Jersey City, $322,448; Secaucus, $123,321
- Mercer County: Hamilton, $168,169; Robbinsville, $145,610; Trenton, $142,775
- Middlesex County: Carteret, $118,081; Edison, $203,318; Monroe, $108,041; Old Bridge, $124,863; South Brunswick, $237,836; South Plainfield, $135,510; Woodbridge, $277,397
- Monmouth County: Freehold Township, $130,294; Middletown, $114,627
- Morris County: Parsippany-Troy Hills, $134,006
- Ocean County: Brick, $115,649; Lakewood, $192,854; Toms River, $243,613
- Passaic County: Clifton, $196,204; Passaic, $103,475; Paterson, $268,508; Wayne, $153,669
For a complete list of grants by municipality, visit nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/stats.htm.
Recycling Facts
New Jersey’s recycling industry each year adds approximately $6 billion to the state’s economy and employs nearly 27,000 people. Over 100 recycling centers and 23 intermediate processing facilities ensure residents’ recycled material is used to conserve natural resources.
In support of this, DEP staff help county and municipal recycling coordinators educate residents on how to recycle correctly to avoid contamination that occurs when non-acceptable items are mixed with recyclable materials. Residents are encouraged to use the recycling education app Recycle Coach, a free tool to help improve knowledge about what can be recycled. Within the app, residents can access their local recycling and trash collection schedules and utilize its “What Goes Where” tool, which details how to recycle materials in their specific location.
To learn more about recycling in New Jersey, visit https://www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/