Clean Communities

 

Little Falls' Initiative

The Township of Little Falls is a proud participant in the Clean Communities Grant program, which helps to support local efforts to keep our community clean and beautiful. Weather permitting, our dedicated Department of Public Works (DPW) employees go above and beyond, working on weekends to actively combat litter and pick up trash throughout the town. Their hard work ensures that Little Falls remains a welcoming and well-maintained environment for residents and visitors alike. Through their tireless efforts and commitment to sustainability, the township continues to contribute to the statewide mission of reducing litter and preserving the natural beauty of New Jersey.

What is Clean Communities?

New Jersey Clean Communities is a statewide, comprehensive, litter-abatement program created by the passage of the Clean Communities Act in 1986. The Act provides a funding source for the program by placing a tax on fifteen categories of businesses that may produce litter-generating products. The Clean Communities Program Fund generates about $ 20 million each year and is disbursed each year to municipalities (80%), counties (10%), state parks service (10%), and the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc. ($375,000).

The Act also provides guidelines on the use of funds. Municipalities and counties must implement litter abatement programs that incorporate the elements of cleanup, enforcement and education. Municipalities and counties must file statistical reports with the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc. every grant year. Statistical reports track the expenditure of funds and the progress of local programs.

The New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc. (NJCCC) is the 501c3 nonprofit that works closely with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Treasury to administer the Clean Communities program. The Clean Communities Council began as an advisory committee to the Department of Environmental Protection’s Clean Communities program in 1989. In 1995, in the face of state budget cuts that virtually eliminated the state positions that provided program oversight and statewide education for the program, the advisory committee sought and received nonprofit status; and became the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc.

Check out their website at https://www.njclean.org/