Burlington County Receives $130K State Grant For Recycling

The Burlington County Occupational Training Center has received a $131,944 grant from the state to help implement and further enhance recycling efforts, Gov. Chris Christie announced. It is part of $14.3 million in statewide grants distributed to local agencies.

The grants are based on 2014 recycling performance and awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act.

“Each of us can make a real difference for New Jersey’s environment simply by recycling,” New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Commissioner Bob Martin said. “The impacts of recycling reach far beyond keeping our environment clean and safe. Recycling conserves resources and results in less waste going to landfills or incinerators. It helps local governments save money, and leads to economic development and job creation.

“New Jersey still has the goal of achieving 50 percent municipal recycling. These grants demonstrate our continued commitment to safeguarding the environment and show why New Jersey remains a national recycling leader.”

The recycling grant program is funded by a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed at solid waste facilities across the state. It rewards local governments and enhances recycling efforts through initiatives such as running tire collection days, providing recycling receptacles and maintaining leaf composting operations.

Each award is based on materials collected and recycled, and can be used in various ways to improve recycling results.

In 2014, New Jersey generated 9.6 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW). DEP documented the recycling of 3.9 million tons of MSW and the disposal of 5.6 million tons of MSW, for an MSW recycling rate of 41 percent.

By comparison, the 2014 national MSW recycling rate was 34 percent, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Overall, New Jersey in 2014 generated more than 20.8 million tons of solid waste, which includes municipal waste plus construction debris and other types of non-municipal waste. Of this, more than 12.8 million tons were recycled, for an overall recycling rate of 62 percent.

For a complete list of recycling tonnage grants by municipality, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/stats.htm.

For more on recycling in New Jersey, visit www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/.

The attached image was provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection