Photo Credit: NJ Department of Environmental Protection
The Administration of Governor Phil Murphy has awarded New Jersey municipalities nearly $16.2 million in grants to help them enhance waste reduction and promote recycling programs. According to Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, that represents a slight increase over the previous years’ total.
The annual award amounts are based on each municipality’s 2019 recycling performance, the most recent year for which statistical data is available. Municipalities have to use their funding for different types of recycling initiatives, which can include sponsoring household hazardous waste collection events, placing recycling receptacles in public places, or maintaining leaf composting operations.
Four towns in Hudson County have been awarded more than $115,000 each for their 2019 efforts:
- Jersey City $324,964
- Secaucus $138,422
- Union City $134,561
- Bayonne $115,257
“Our state recycling grants support local waste reduction initiatives, helping to reduce local property tax burdens for New Jersey residents while improving the cleanliness of our communities,” LaTourette said. “This vital state support for our local governments helps to strengthens municipal commitment to recycling and improves the quality of life for countless New Jerseyans.”
The grants are awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act. The grants are funded through a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed statewide at solid waste facilities. The NJ DEP returns that money to each town based upon how much recycling each reports accomplishing during the calendar year.