Ocean and Burlington Counties and six Ocean. Monmouth and Middlesex communities earn sizeable portions of more than $20,000,000 in state grants to keep control of litter.

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Toms River, Brick Township, Berkeley Township, Middletown, Edison and Woodbridge received sums between $126,000 and nearly $220,000 in New Jersey's Clean Communities program.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) says that municipalities receive $17,900,000 of the annual grants, and another $2,200,000 is divided among the Garden State's 21 counties.

The program has been in existence for more than 25 years. Funds originate in a tax on businesses in 15 categories, designated as potential producers of litter-generating products. Municipalities, each year, receive 80 percent of the revenue; 10 percent each go to counties and state parks; and $375,000 is set aside for the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, Inc.

Grants support cleanups of stormwater systems to prevent trash from reaching waterways, volunteer cleanups of public land, adoption and enforcement of anti-littering laws, beach maintenance, public information and education, and purchase of items such as recycling bins, trash receptacles, anti-litter signs and supplies to erase graffiti.

Ocean County received $208,244. Burlington County recieved $169,866. Monmouth County received $121,494. Among the municipalities:

Toms River, $218,712; Edison, $173,899; Woodbridge, $170,727; Brick, $165,826; Middletown, $149,431; Berkeley Township, $126,853.

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