LAKEWOOD, NJ — Lakewood has received a grant of more than $140,000 to help the township enhance its recycling efforts.

The grant was part of $14.3 million in grants announced Wednesday by the state Department of Environmental Protection that aim to “further enhance recycling efforts,” the DEP said. The amounts were based on 2016 recycling performance.

The recycling tonnage grants are awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act and are funded through a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed at solid waste facilities statewide. The DEP then allocates that money back to municipalities based on how much recycling each community reports accomplishing during a particular calendar year.

Lakewood received $140,559, one of three Ocean County towns to receive a grant exceeding $100,000.

“Each of us can have a significant impact on the environment simply by recycling every day,” DEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said. “Recycling helps keep our communities clean, generates revenue and jobs, and lessens the amount of trash going to landfills. These grants will help communities continue the important work of promoting the benefits of recycling and having a positive impact on New Jersey’s quality of life.”

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