CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION PURCHASES ONLINE PLATFORM TO
PROMOTE RECYCLING EDUCATION, INCREASE OUTREACH STATEWIDE
RECYCLE COACH TO BE AVAILABLE IN EARLY 2018 FOR ALL NEW JERSEY COUNTY, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS

(18/P002) TRENTON – The Christie Administration is purchasing an online program to centralize recycling information for towns and counties in a single app that New Jersey residents may access through their smart devices and computers, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin announced today.

With the purchase, New Jersey becomes the first state to bring the Recycle Coach app free of charge to all residents to help increase recycling rates statewide and provide recycling information in a simple, clear, and concise manner. The app, already in use by 92 communities across eight New Jersey counties, will become available statewide in early 2018.

“Recycling is something most of us do every day, and the Recycle Coach app will help us reach even more people to remind them about how they can help the environment,” Commissioner Martin said. “In turn, this tool will help all New Jerseyans in achieving our recycling goals and demonstrate our state’s ongoing commitment as a national leader in recycling.”

As of 2015, New Jersey had recycled 43 percent of its municipal residential waste, which is well above the national average of 34 percent, and within reach of the state’s longstanding goal of a 50 percent recycling rate.

After downloading the app to their smartphone or accessing it through their town’s or county’s website, Recycle Coach users can input their address to access a variety of information: when to put out recyclables and solid waste for pickup, ask questions about what is recyclable, receive specific communication from their town or county, read articles about becoming better recyclers, stay informed of missed pickups or holiday collection schedules, educational podcasts, interactive quizzes and more. A ‘What Goes Where’ database within the app will be especially helpful for knowing where to recycle a variety of materials.

“People today get their information from many different sources, and DEP recognizes that adapting to today’s technologies can help us grow our recycling outreach to the public,” said Mark Pedersen, Assistant Commissioner for Site Remediation and Waste Management. “Through Recycle Coach, residents will be able to get reminders of when to put out their waste for collection and recycling, be advised of pickup schedule changes due to weather or truck breakdowns, and access information through the app or other online platforms. Our partnership with this app is a great way to remind the public about the importance of recycling.”

“We’re very excited the New Jersey DEP shares our vision of an online community where residents and levels of government come together to generate better recycling outcomes,” said Recycle Coach President Creighton Hooper. “Recycle Coach makes it easier for residents to get the personalized information they need, while local governments enjoy operational efficiencies and lower communication costs.”

DEP plans an aggressive implementation schedule in coming months to make Recycle Coach available statewide, while ensuring that accurate and timely information about recycling and solid waste issues is easily available.

Recycling has been a statewide priority for more than three decades. In April 1987, New Jersey became the first state to require residents to recycle by adopting the statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act, which requires recycling by residents, businesses and institutions such as schools and hospitals.

To learn about Recycle Coach, visit: https://recyclecoach.com/

For more about recycling in New Jersey, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/

To view recycling rates by county, trends on what materials are recycled, and other New Jersey recycling statistics, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/stats.htm

For information on what each of New Jersey’s 21 counties recycles, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/design_recy_county.pdf

For details on how to reduce waste production, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/source_red.htm

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