An Act concerning recycling achievements and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. The Department of Environmental Protection, in coordination with the Association of New Jersey Recyclers or another recycling organization in this State as determined by the department, shall establish a program to be known as the "New Jersey Recycling Awards Program."

The program shall annually recognize outstanding recycling achievements, including those made by:

(1) the implementation of a new recycling program or the expansion of an existing recycling or buy-recycled program by:

(a) an institution, such as a pre-school, elementary or secondary school, hospital, long-term care facility, nursing home, or college or university;

(b) a large or small business;

(d) a municipal, county, or State agency or entity; and

(e) a municipal, county, business, school, or other recycling coordinator;

(2) a rising star, such as an individual or program, that has achieved exemplary results through innovation and persistence;

(3) an outstanding educator or educational program, such as a teacher, administrator, community or student group, environmental educator or individual student, whose actions have resulted in increased participation in recycling;

(4) the recycling industry, such as a processing facility, equipment manufacturer, or collector, who has contributed to the expansion of recycling in New Jersey;

(5) a source reduction and resource management program that has reduced waste at its source and managed its resources in a more efficient manner; and

(6) a volunteer citizen, who shall be a New Jersey resident who has, in a voluntary capacity, assisted in the promotion and implementation of recycling in New Jersey.

b. The department shall establish an application procedure and criteria and guidelines for the eligibility, nomination, and judging of applications for the award program. Applications shall be evaluated using performance criteria, including but not limited to: (1) measurable outcomes and documentation; (2) education and outreach; (3) coverage and replicability; (4) leadership and innovation; and (5) exceeding regulatory standards.

c. The department shall post the names of the recipients of the New Jersey Recycling Awards prominently on the department's website, and shall recognize the recipients through the award of a certificate, a press announcement, or another form of recognition deemed appropriate to highlight the achievements of these recipients. The department may coordinate with the Association of New Jersey Recyclers, or another recycling organization if appropriate, in recognizing the award recipients.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in coordination with the Association of New Jersey Recyclers (ANJR) or another recycling organization in this State as determined by the DEP, to establish a New Jersey Recycling Awards Program to annually recognize outstanding recycling achievements made by: (1) institutions; (2) businesses; (3) retail merchants; (4) municipal, county, or State government agencies or entities; (5) recycling coordinators; (6) rising stars; (7) outstanding educators or educational programs; (8) the recycling industry; (9) source reduction and resource management programs; and (10) volunteer citizens.

The DEP currently offers a New Jersey Recycling Award, coordinated in conjunction with the ANJR, to recognize the outstanding recycling achievements of the 10 entities identified in the bill. Currently, the awards are presented at ANJR's annual recycling symposium and, according to the DEP website, this award program has generated positive publicity for recycling efforts in New Jersey. This bill would codify the existing awards program.

Under the bill, the DEP would establish an application procedure and criteria and guidelines for the eligibility, nomination, and judging of applications for this award, and evaluate applications using performance criteria, including but not limited to: measurable outcomes and documentation; education and outreach; coverage and replicability; leadership and innovation; and exceeding regulatory standards. The DEP would also post the names of the recipients of the New Jersey Recycling Awards prominently on the department's website, and recognize the recipients through the award of a certificate, a press announcement, or another form of recognition deemed appropriate to highlight the achievements of these recipients.