Photo By Nicholas A. Tonelli

Toxins and Waste Reduction

Plastic Bottles

Reducing plastic, food, electronic and textile waste is a critical component to meeting New Jersey’s greenhouse gas emissions targets, as well as improving quality of life in communities by decreasing litter and air pollution.  Access to information on hazardous conditions in our communities helps increase accountability and safety.

Primary Concerns:

  • Plastic production fuels the climate crisis with increased greenhouse gas emissions and damages local communities where plastic is made with toxic air and water pollution.
  • According to a report from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, the average New Jersey resident wastes 325 pounds of food in 2017 and wasted food makes up to 22 percent of municipal solid waste.
  • In 2019 alone nearly seven million tons of e-waste was generated in the United States according to Earth911 and only 15 percent of e-waste was recycled.
  • The volume of textiles Americans sent to landfills and incinerators as waste is growing according to the US Environmental Protection Agency
  • Access to timely information on hazardous materials traveling through communities or contaminated sites under third party purview remains challenging
  • Although there are numerous sources of lead in the environment, research reveals that spent lead ammunition and lost fishing tackle are the most frequent causes of lead exposure and poisoning in wildlife
     

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New Jersey LCV Education Fund greatly appreciates each organization’s contributions and valued expertise shared in this effort as well as the immeasurable commitment put forward to protecting New Jersey’s environment:.

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