New Brunswick Gets $78K To Remove Litter From City

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - New Brunswick recently received a grant from the state to fund litter removal in the city.

New Brunswick was granted $78,073.22 in state aid as part of the annual Clean Communities grant from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.

“We continue to identify new initiatives to push New Brunswick toward a cleaner, more-sustainable future,” said Mayor Jim Cahill in a statement. “Our Department of Public Works coordinates key programs throughout the year to keep our city as litter-free as possible. It is through programs like Clean Communities that we are able to keep our streets, open space, recreation areas and city property clear of litter and debris.”

More than $24 million was given to municipal and county governments across the state to spruce up communities, improve water quality, reduce localized flooding and protect natural habitats, according to a news release from the state. The funding includes $21.4 million to eligible municipalities and $2.7 million to counties to conduct cleanups, educate the public and enforce litter-related laws and ordinances.

Funding for the program comes from taxes paid by businesses that produce litter-generating products as well as penalties collected for litter-related violations, state officials said.

“The New Jersey Clean Communities grant program has long been an important resource for local governments across New Jersey, helping them fund programs that remove litter that is unsightly, harms wildlife, degrades water quality and worsens flooding by getting into stormwater-management systems,” NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.

“The programs also help remove countless quantities of plastic materials which do not biodegrade and create many serious problems for people, ecosystems and wildlife. We are proud to continue to support these efforts that make New Jersey a cleaner and greener place to live.”

Grant awards are based on population, housing units and miles of municipally owned roadways.
Litter comes from various sources, such as people who carelessly toss away trash, overflowing and uncovered garbage cans, and construction sites. It is often dispersed by the wind and carried into stormwater collection systems, where it can clog drains causing flooding, harming wildlife and degrading the quality of the state’s surface waters.