Lakewood, NJ Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must comply
- All residential, commercial, institutional, government
- Multifamily duty
- Owner/management sets up system, notifies tenants
- New development trigger
- 3+ units, 50+ single-family, or 1,000+ sq ft
- CO requirement
- Signed hauling contract before occupancy
- Exemption basis
- N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.16(d), Recycling Coordinator approval
Summary
Lakewood Township, Ocean County, makes source-separated recycling mandatory for every residential, commercial, institutional and government property. Multifamily owners must set up the system and notify tenants every six months.
Mandatory Source Separation. It shall be mandatory for all persons who are owners, tenants, or occupants of residential and nonresidential premises, which shall include but not be limited to retail and other commercial locations, as well as government, schools and other institutional locations within the Township of Lakewood, to separate designated recyclable materials from all solid waste.
Full Breakdown
" Compliance duties differ by property type. 6(d) to recycle grease and cooking oil. 7 requires any subdivision or site plan application for three or more multifamily units, 50 or more single-family units, or 1,000 square feet or more of commercial, institutional or industrial development to include a recycling plan showing expected waste volumes and on-site recycling locations, and the developer must supply a signed hauling contract before the Township will issue a Certificate of Occupancy. A. 16(d), but must file supporting documentation and provide annual tonnage certifications to keep it.
Violations & Fines
A property owner, tenant or occupant who fails to comply with the mandatory source separation requirements is subject to § 21-5.10's penalty: a fine "not less than $250, nor more than $1,000," with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense, deposited into the Municipal Recycling Trust Fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling mandatory in Lakewood Township?
Who is responsible for recycling in a Lakewood Township apartment building?
Do new developments need a recycling plan to get approved in Lakewood Township?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
Compare Lakewood to another location·View the New Jersey trash & recycling overview
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Recycling Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle recycling requirements.