Governor Phil Murphy Administration (NJ) Honors Recycling Leaders and their Accomplishments During Annual Awards Program

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): An airport that recycles numerous items including polycarbonate runway signs; a municipality with a comprehensive curbside, drop-off and food waste recycling system; and a senior citizen who volunteered to collect and deliver loads of recyclables generated by his neighbors during the COVID-19 pandemic are among those honored as New Jersey’s 2022 recycling leaders, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced.

Millville Executive Airport, Cumberland County; the Village of Ridgewood, Division of Recycling in Bergen County; and Donald Cammus of Florence Township in Burlington County are among the six businesses, organizations and individuals recognized today during the DEP’s 41st Annual Recycling Awards program held in conjunction with an annual recycling symposium hosted by the Association of New Jersey Recyclers. Other winners include Nestle Health Science of Bridgewater in Somerset County, Recycle My Battery of Middlesex County and Atlantic Health System, statewide.  “The Murphy Administration commends the award winners for promoting recycling and educating their communities about the importance of diverting waste to better protect our natural resources,” Commissioner  LaTourette said. “New Jersey is consistently a national leader in recycling, and we applaud the winners for going above and beyond to help keep the environment safe and clean for all.”

“We recognize these award winners for their focused and innovative efforts to protect New Jersey’s environment by keeping it clean and healthy,” said Paul Baldauf, Assistant Commissioner for Air Quality, Energy and Sustainability. “We hope their achievements and commitment will inspire others to adopt better recycling practices.” In 1987, New Jersey became the first state to enact legislation that requires recycling in residential, commercial and institutional settings. The DEP administers a number of grant and educational programs to help improve the statewide recycling rate. For 2019, New Jersey achieved an overall recycling rate of 56 percent. The national recycling rate is 32 percent.

The Murphy Administration encourages all residents to participate in their local recycling programs and do their part to keep non-acceptable materials, such as plastic bags, trash, propane tanks and used syringes, out of curbside and workplace recycling bins. “Recycling works when we keep the recycling mix clean and free of these problematic items,”  Commissioner LaTourette said. “It is important to remember that recyclable materials are not trash. They are valuable raw materials used to make new products.”

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com