SANDY HOOK – Monmouth County has extended a helping hand to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to clean up our Jersey Shore.
The Clean Communities Program of the Monmouth County Reclamation Center helped coordinate the NJDEP’s Clean Shores program, which helps to remove wood, garbage, medical waste and recyclables from tidal shorelines with the use of State inmate labor.
“Occasionally, debris from New York Harbor and the Lower Bay floats south towards the Sandy Hook Bay and the Monmouth County shoreline,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the Department of Public Works and Engineering. “I am happy to know the County was able to help the State clean up trash in our waters before the summer season.”
In Monmouth County, Clean Shores collected 77.77 tons of debris, including two docks and 820 pounds of tires, in just two and a half weeks. Since 1989, the program has removed more than 148 million pounds of debris, cleaning over 3,100 miles of New Jersey’s shorelines.
Roll off containers for removed debris and two front end loaders meant for transporting bulky waste were provided for the cleanup by Monmouth County Department of Public Works and Engineering’s Division of Highway.
The Clean Shores program crew includes 10 specially selected inmates, a State correctional officer, a site manager and a NJDEP woodcutter.
Clean Shores is funded completely by proceeds from Shore Protection ‘Shore to Please’ motor vehicle license plates.
For more information about the Clean Communities Program in Monmouth County, go to VisitMonmouth.com or call 732-683-8686 ext. 7539.
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