Recycling Pays Off in Brick

Proceeds from recycling over the last six months will earn Brick $56,350 in cash – and it has saved the town much more than that in disposal fees that would have been spent if recyclable materials had gone to a landfill.

Ocean County began its recycling revenue sharing program in 1995, the first county in New Jersey to share funds generated from a recycling program between the county government and municipalities. Since then, more than $14 million has been distributed.

Over the past year, according to Freeholder Jim Lacey, the price of some recyclable items have decreased while other increased. Corrugated cardboard and some plastic materials gained in value recently while aluminum has seen a drop. Currently, soda bottles are yielding $320 a ton detergent bottles net $488 a ton, according to county officials.

Though its value dropped this year, aluminum continues to be valuable. Those soda cans that get recycled are worth $1,122 a ton.

"The amount we return to our towns is based on the amount recycled and what the market has to offer," said Lacey.

During the six month period of July 1, 2013 through the end of the year, Ocean County collected 40,702 tons of recyclables from its municipalities. The overall payout per ton was $12.27. The county's municipalities, in addition to the revenue generated, saved $2.9 million by avoiding dumping those materials in a landfill.