This is the highest recycling rate in the entire state of New Jersey. Even though most residents and businesses in Gloucester County have been recycling for years, there are still many questions that are raised daily on the practice. One of the most important reasons to recycle is because it's the law. This law requires all residents, businesses, and institutional facilities in New Jersey to separate certain materials from the regular solid waste stream for recycling. Recycling is also mandated by the Gloucester County Solid Waste Management Plan and through local ordinances in all municipalities.
Recycling also helps to conserve our natural resources.
In addition, every ton of paper made from recycled materials saves the equivalent of 17 trees. Preserving landfill space is another important reason to recycle. By reducing the amount of solid waste through recycling, less garbage has to be disposed of in landfills or processed at resource recovery facilities. Municipalities also realize a cost-avoidance for virtually all the materials they recycle when compared to the costs associated with disposing of the materials as a solid waste. Currently, there are no legal definitions for these terms, which may lead to consumers being confused and mislead.