For Immediate Release:
June 5, 2015
County awards recycling initiative grants
Municipalities encouraged to increase their recycling rate
KEYPORT, NJ – The municipalities of Keyport and Matawan were the first towns to receive checks as part of Monmouth County’s Recycling Stimulus Initiative (RSI) grant program, which was created to encourage municipalities to increase their recycling rates.
“We want to thank these towns for doing their part to keep our County beautiful,” said Deputy Director Serena DiMaso, liaison to the Monmouth County Reclamation Center. “We are proud of all of the efforts made by the mayors and their towns to promote recycling in their towns.”
Keyport was awarded a $6,000 grant for their plans to buy and donate recycling books to the Central School Library, provide a recycling receptacle in front of Keyport Borough Hall, purchase additional recycling containers, host a paper shredding event in town and make roof repairs to the recycling center in Keyport.
Matawan was awarded a $10,000 grant to partially fund the construction of a new recycling center.
“These towns are boosting their recycling rates by educating their residents, schools and businesses about proper recycling and waste removal,” said DiMaso. “Education about recycling and waste removal is essential to keep waste out of our water supply and to extend the life of the landfill.”
In order to qualify for a grant under the RSI grant program, the town had to set up an appointment with Reclamation Center staff to determine what recycling efforts were being made to in the town. The town also had to attend three Municipal Recycling Coordinators meetings and raise the recycling rate by at least two percent in the town.
“For each percent the town increased the recycling rate over two, they would receive $1,000 in grant money,” said Freeholder Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. “The towns must use the funds for a recycling-based project that is approved by the County before being awarded.”
The Freeholders presented the grants to the mayors of Keyport and Matawan at their regular public meeting on May 28 in Keyport.
The RSI grant program is overseen by the Recycling Division of the Monmouth County Reclamation Center. For more information about recycling programs, call 732-683-8686.
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