Wayne Gets $116K Grant To Boost Recycling Efforts, Reduce Waste

WAYNE, NJ — Wayne Township is set to receive another grant from the state to support ongoing recycling and waste reduction programs, thanks to the town's recycling efforts in past years.

In total, New Jersey is awarding another $16.2 million in grants to communities this year, the Department of Environmental Protection said. Funding comes from a $3 surcharge that is imposed at solid waste facilities throughout the state, and returned to municipalities based on how much recycling each community reports during the calendar year. This year's grants are for 2022 recycling performance.

Wayne will receive a $116,049 grant, officials said. In 2022, the township had an overall recycling rate of 51 percent and a municipal solid waste recycling rate of 38 percent. The township generated 158,984 total tons of waste and recycling in 2022, and 80,955 tons were recycled.

For comparison, the town's overall recycling rate was 47 percent in 2021, and was 50 percent in 2020.

Wayne Township is one of a handful of New Jersey municipalities to get more than $100,000 from the state to support waste reduction and recycling programs. Other Passaic County municipalities receiving grants this year are Paterson ($261,958), Clifton ($219,920), and Passaic, ($101,752). The county had an overall recycling rate of 47 percent.

Towns must use the money for various recycling initiatives — which can include enhancing recycling collection, sponsoring household hazardous waste collection, providing recycling bins in public places, or maintaining leaf composting.

Statewide, communities generated 21,279,372 total tons of solid waste in 2022, including municipal solid waste and non-municipal waste such as construction debris. Of this, the state says it recycled 11,427,849 tons of material for a 54 percent overall recycling rate.

"To further illustrate the data, each resident on average disposed of 3.5 pounds and recycled 2.1 pounds of waste each day," the Department of Environmental Protection said on Friday.

Wayne residents can use the free Recycle Coach app to find specific waste collection schedules, stay updated on events like prescription disposal and confidential shredding, and make sure they know how to properly dispose of certain items.