Ocean County’s 33 municipalities will once again each receive a share of recycling revenue as part of a sharing program that has sent more than $16 million to towns since 1995 – with Lakewood receiving the largest share.
“We are very pleased to announce once again that recycling pays in Ocean County,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little. “For the first half of 2017 we will be returning $252,686 to our municipalities.”
From January thru June of 2017, towns recycled more than 39,606 tons of waste,” said Little, who is also liaison to the Department of Solid Waste Management. “That’s 1,773 tons more than the first half of 2016.”
The payout rate for the first half of the year was $6.38 per ton under a new agreement with Atlantic Coast Recycling.
“Our partnership with our communities continues to keep waste out of the landfill while providing additional revenue to the towns,” said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “The Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management and Freeholder Little do an outstanding job in making certain recycling programs are easily accessible to everyone.”
The amount returned to towns is based on the amount of collected recyclables brought to the County and the current commodity market price.
The first half of 2017 saw a substantial rise in the price-per-ton for most recyclables.
Corrugated paper and cardboard jumped by $88 per ton, newspaper was up $31, tin cans $66, aluminum $123 and PET plastics saw a $126 jump. Only colored HDPE plastics saw a decline, dropping $34 a ton.
Little said towns can use the money as needed although many invest it back into the recycling program.
The largest recycling revenue sharing checks will go to Lakewood, Toms River, Brick, Stafford and Jackson townships.
“And, while these are the county’s largest municipalities, I applaud all of our towns, even the smallest, for their ongoing recycling efforts,” Little said.
The towns and the amounts they are scheduled to receive are: Barnegat Township, $8,942.49; Barnegat Light, $536.59; Bay Head, $528.01; Beach Haven, $1,778.07; Beachwood, $3,026.67; Berkeley Township, $13,655.86; Brick Township, $28,823.40; Eagleswood Township, $762.22; Harvey Cedars, $456.87; Island Heights, $724.35; Jackson Township, $15,936.47; Lacey Township, $11,603.21; Lakehurst, $785.95 and Lakewood Township, $48,327.81.
Also, Lavallette, $1,371.78; Little Egg Harbor Township, $9,849.02; Long Beach Township, $3,602.53; Manchester Township, $9,896.68; Mantoloking, $157.36; Ocean Township, $2,798.90; Ocean Gate, $682.19; Pine Beach, $687.51; Plumsted Township, $1,539.37; Point Pleasant Beach, $2,938.13; Point Pleasant Borough, $9,015.91; Seaside Heights, $1,507.91; Seaside Park, $1,337.57; Ship Bottom, $1,145.19; South Toms River, $967.59; Stafford Township, $20,557.72; Surf City, $1,263.44; Toms River Township, $45,534.51; and Tuckerton, $1,944.99.