Waste
New Jersey is awarding nearly $16.2 million in grants to communities across the state to help them enhance waste reduction and recycling programs, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced.
The awards are based on 2020 recycling performance, the most recent year for which data is available. Municipalities must use their grants for various recycling initiatives that may include sponsoring household hazardous waste collection events, providing recycling receptacles in public places, or maintaining leaf composting operations. The 2020 awards maintain the amount distributed for 2019 performance.
“New Jersey has long set a national example for recycling, starting with being the first state to enact a recycling law in 1987,” LaTourette said. “This annual grant program provides incentive for communities to strengthen their municipal recycling initiatives, encourage children and adults to keep our environment clean, and provide assistance in helping to reduce the local tax burden while also improving quality of life.”
Grants are awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act and are funded through a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed statewide at solid waste facilities. As required under the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act, the DEP returns 60 percent of that money to municipalities based upon how much recycling each community reports accomplishing during the calendar year. The remaining funds are divided, with 30 percent going to counties, 5 percent to colleges and universities, and 5 percent for administrative costs.
By The Numbers: Solid Waste
For calendar year 2020, New Jersey generated 20,997,099 total tons of solid waste, which represents disposal (9,474,871 tons) and recycling (11,522,228 tons) reported by municipalities and, in limited instances, counties.
The overall tonnage of materials reported as recycled and as disposed both decreased slightly in 2020 from 2019, leading to a slight decrease in the overall recycling rate, to 55 percent in 2020 from 56 percent in 2019. Solid waste includes municipal waste plus construction debris and other types of non-municipal waste.
By The Numbers: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
For calendar year 2020, New Jersey generated 9,474,871 tons of MSW, which represents disposal (6,005,468 tons) and recycling (3,837,039 tons) reported by municipalities and, in limited instances, counties.
Recycling increased in 2020, leading to a 39 percent MSW recycling rate compared to 38 percent in 2019.
Total tonnage of recycled MSW increased to 3,837,039 tons in 2020 from 3,685,664 tons in 2019. The tonnage of disposed MSW decreased from one year to the next, leading to the increase in the MSW recycling rate.
The amount of disposed MSW in 2020 was 6,005,468 tons, compared with 6,073,324 tons the year before.