The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has awarded more than $25 million in grants to support litter cleanup efforts across the state, including over $171,000 designated for Lakewood Township.

The funding is part of the state’s annual Clean Communities program, which provides resources to municipalities and counties for litter abatement, public education, and enforcement initiatives. Lakewood will receive $171,493 to support local cleanup efforts, including removing debris from public spaces, maintaining stormwater systems, and organizing volunteer initiatives.

Statewide, $25.2 million in grants is being distributed, with $22.4 million allocated to municipalities and $2.8 million to counties. The funding is derived from taxes on businesses that produce litter-generating products, as well as penalties collected from litter-related violations.

Acting DEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak said the program helps towns like Lakewood maintain cleaner public spaces without overburdening local budgets.

“By partnering with the Clean Communities Council to provide this critical funding, the DEP is ensuring that municipalities and counties can keep their communities healthy and clean without bearing the costs of these initiatives alone,” Potosnak said in a statement.

The program is administered in partnership with the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, which oversees reporting and implementation across all 21 counties and 558 municipalities in New Jersey. The council also supports volunteer-driven efforts such as Adopt-a-Highway and Adopt-a-Beach programs.

In Ocean County, several municipalities also received funding, including Toms River ($267,494), Brick ($200,263), Jackson ($140,268), and Manchester ($132,007).