Stafford Township, NJ Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must separate
- Owners, tenants and occupants of homes and businesses
- Container rule
- Labeled and set out at every collection, even if empty
- Article II fine
- $250 to $1,000, each day a separate offense (§ 166-11A)
- Enforcers
- Recycling Coordinator, Code Enforcement Officer, Superintendent of Public Works
- Multifamily duty
- Owner or management runs the system and re-notifies tenants every six months
- Exemption
- Commercial and institutional generators only, by application
Summary
Everyone in Stafford Township, including Manahawkin, must separate designated recyclable materials from trash under Code § 166-4A. The rule covers owners, tenants and occupants of homes, stores, schools and government buildings, and the labeled recycling container goes to the curb for each collection even when no recyclables are ready.
A. 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 Stafford Township, to separate designated recyclable materials from all solid waste. Designated recyclable materials shall be deposited separate and apart from other solid waste generated by the owners, tenants, or occupants of such premises and shall be placed separately at the curb in a manner and on such days and times as may be hereinafter established in the Township’s recycling regulations and in Chapter 167 , Rubbish and Garbage Collection. The container for recyclable materials shall be clearly labeled and placed at the curb or such other designated area for each collection, regardless of whether any recyclable materials are available for collection.
Official source re-checked November 3, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4531624; v13 updated 2025-08-12; through 08-12-2025).
Full Breakdown
Section 166-4A of the Stafford Township Code makes source separation mandatory for every owner, tenant or occupant of residential and nonresidential premises. The text names retail and other commercial locations, government, schools and other institutional locations. Designated recyclable materials must be deposited separate and apart from other solid waste and placed separately at the curb on the days and times set in the Township's recycling regulations and in Chapter 167. Those regulations are written by the Recycling Coordinator, Code Enforcement Officer and/or Superintendent of Public Works and take effect only after the Township Council adopts a resolution approving them (§ 166-4.4).
Section 166-2 defines designated recyclable materials as those designated within the Ocean County District Solid Waste Management Plan. Under the dual stream definition, the commingled container takes all plastic bottles plus aluminum and steel cans, and the paper stream takes magazines, catalogues, junk mail, used writing paper, newsprint, cardboard, office and school paper, with no chipboard or pizza boxes. Single stream puts both in one container and excludes plastic bags, food waste, paper towels, paper napkins, pizza boxes, egg cartons, aluminum foil, plastic cups and utensils, and any plastic other than bottles. Section 166-3 lists the mandatory materials, including aluminum cans, glass containers of mixed colors, newspapers, corrugated cardboard, PET, HDPE and PVC containers, and gable-top quart and half-gallon milk and juice containers.
The property owner carries the responsibility for compliance (§ 166-6). In a multifamily building the management or owner sets up and maintains the recycling system, and must give new tenants notification and collection rules when they arrive and every six months during their occupancy. Only commercial and institutional generators can apply for an exemption, filing with the Municipal Recycling Coordinator under § 166-4B and certifying that the designated materials are recycled, with written documentation of tons collected each year.
Violations & Fines
Article I of Chapter 166, which holds § 166-4A, carries a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment up to 90 days or community service up to 90 days, or any combination, set by the Municipal Court Judge (§ 166-4.5A). Article II violations draw a fine of not less than $250 or more than $1,000, and each day counts as a separate offense (§ 166-11A). Fines go to the Municipal Recycling Trust Fund (§ 166-11B).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to put my recycling container out if it is empty?
Are pizza boxes accepted in Stafford Township's recycling?
Who is responsible for recycling in an apartment or condo complex?
Can the Township inspect what I put out for collection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stafford Township
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Recycling Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle recycling requirements.