Recycling markets for plastic, cardboard and aluminum are helping to boost the amount of money Ocean County shares with its municipalities through its Recycling Revenue Sharing Program.
Freeholder James F. Lacey announced that the county will distribute checks totaling $496,731.80 to its municipalities as part of the Recycling Revenue Sharing Program.
“We thought $10.77 was the best return we had seen from the program, Lacey said. “This time, we are returning $12.15 a ton to our towns.”
Twice a year, towns share in half of the revenues made from the sale of recyclables.
“The market is very strong right now for cardboard, aluminum and plastic, and that means additional economic benefits for the county and municipalities,” Lacey said.
Municipalities will receive $12.15 per ton of recyclables for the six-month period of July 1-Dec. 31, 2004.
“For Ocean County’s largest municipality, Dover Township, that number $12.15 results in $95,516 being returned to the town,” Lacey said. “Certainly that return serves as an incentive to keep the recycling programs viable and convenient for residents.”
Lacey noted that cardboard continues to be a valuable recyclable material in the past year, with a high percentage of the material collected exported to China. Cardboard is selling for $90 per ton.
“The Chinese are paying a premium price for this material, and that has helped us,” Lacey said. “Recycled material from Ocean County has become an international commodity.”
Plastic bottles are also bringing in a good return for the county. Natural plastic bottles like milk and water jugs are selling for $507 per ton, while other plastic bottles like those used for detergent are selling for $521 per ton, and plastic soda bottles are bringing in $329 per ton.
To date, the Ocean County Board of Freeholders has distributed more than $5 million to municipalities under the Recycling Revenue Sharing program. The towns receive half of the revenue the county receives from the sale of recyclables. All 33 municipalities participate.
The total tonnage recycled was 40,883 for the six-month period, resulting in revenues totaling $496,731. As a result of the tonnage recycled, towns did not pay $2.5 million in tipping fees to the landfill.
“Many of these towns have used this money to continue and upgrade municipal recycling programs. And, we encourage the towns to put the money back into their recycling programs,” Lacey said. “In addition, when materials are recycled, towns save money in landfill costs.
“A special thanks goes to all the residents who continue to make the county’s recycling program so successful,” he added.
Locally, Brick Township will receive $60,865, Jackson Township will receive $36,884, and Lakewood will receive $68,942.
