WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that Rutgers University has been awarded $117,000 to help New Jersey businesses reduce the amount of toxic materials that they generate or use. The funding, provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will allow Rutgers to identify manufacturers that are candidates for pollution prevention assistance, particularly those that are vulnerable to releases of hazardous substances in the event of climate change-related storm surges.
“The sheer force of Superstorm Sandy and the destruction that lay in its wake was devastating, but a toxic spill in addition to the physical damage would have been disastrous” said Pallone. “We must make sure that, in the event of another overwhelming storm, harmful chemicals that could pollute our environment are not released from industrial plants. This funding will help us do just that by reducing the amount of hazardous materials that New Jersey businesses use and produce.”
With this grant, Rutgers will work with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the Rutgers Small Business Development Center to help businesses use less toxic substances during the manufacturing process.
“It is significant that, as one of the largest universities in the region, Rutgers is leading the way on pollution prevention, and I hope that other educational institutions and localities will follow suit. I’d like to thank them for their efforts on this front and the EPA for funding this important initiative in New Jersey.”
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