TRENTON – The Christie Administration Dec. 1 announced that New Jersey’s local governments would receive $14.3 million in state grants to enhance recycling efforts in their communities. Cape May County’s 16 municipalities got a total of $252,805 of that sum.
The grants are based on 2015 recycling performance and are awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act, according to a release.
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 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 compared to the previous year.
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.
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.
Below are municipalities and rounded amounts they will receive for recycling:
Avalon $8,765, Cape May $16,568, Cape May Point $802.
Dennis $9,408, Lower $52,856, Middle $41,086.
North Wildwood $13,637, Ocean City $25,999, Sea Isle City $13,220.
Stone Harbor $6,601, Upper $24,877, West Cape May $2,059.
West Wildwood $2,907, Wildwood $15,927, Wildwood Crest $12,985,
Woodbine $5,108.
Burleigh – Middle Township is going in the wrong direction. Our taxes keep going up because of too much development. The mayor & committee need to stop acting like their job is keep builders, developers and…
