For Immediate Release:
January 17, 2020

County awarded recycling tonnage grant
NJDEP awards grant to be used to enhance recycling efforts

TINTON FALLS, NJ – Monmouth County will receive $523,118 this year through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Recycling Enhancement Act (REA).

The REA permits a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed at solid waste facilities to fund recycling efforts throughout the State. NJDEP assigns the money collected from the additional payment back to the 21 counties and their municipalities in the form of grant dollars. This year’s grants are based on recycling data from 2017.

“I am thrilled that the State is recognizing our excellent recycling performance and awarding this grant to further advance our recycling efforts here in Monmouth County,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the Monmouth County Recycling Division. “I would like to thank the dedicated staff of the Recycling Division for their outreach and maintaining communication, performance reviews and progress reports with municipalities to ensure that Monmouth County and its municipalities are receiving adequate grant funding for recycling initiatives.”

In 2017, Monmouth County generated 1,928,731 tons of solid waste. Of this, 1,224,316 tons were recycled for an overall recycling rate of 63 percent. Out of the State’s 21 counties, Monmouth County had the second highest tonnage of total recycled material.

“I would like to acknowledge the municipal leaders who have embraced recycling in their respective communities,” said Freeholder Director Arnone. “Without their buy-in and support, Monmouth County would not have outstanding recycling rates and the grant funding to continue moving forward.”

In total, NJDEP awarded more than $14 million in grants to county and municipal governments to improve recycling efforts.

For more information about recycling in Monmouth County, go to www.visitmonmouth.com.

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