NJ to Receive $8 Million in Recycling Grants

The cities and municipalities of New Jersey are slotted to receive over $8 million in grants to boost their recycling programs, according to Recycling Today Magazine.

The new funding is a result of the Recycling Enhancement Act, signed into law in January.  The law seeks to create funding for recycling by charging a $3 fee for every ton of waste brought to solid-waste disposal facilities.  The grant money awarded is an advance on these fees, and will be repaid by future collections.

By creating a more expensive landfilling process, recycling becomes a more viable, and less-expensive, option for those municipalities who manage this process.

According to Lisa Jackson, commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection, “This new law provides the funding mechanism that allows us once again to set our sights on recycling a majority of our municipal waste.”  Jackson also noted that, “When it comes to recycling, businesses are building the foundation for a green-collar economy.”

This is the highest grant awarded to New Jersey since a $5.5 million grant in 1995.  Municipal governments will receive 60 percent of the funds generated, to assist them in recycling outreach and compliance.

To learn more about curbside recycling programs in your area, use Earth911.