a. A taxpayer who purchases recycling equipment certified by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to subsection b. of this section, to be used exclusively within this State, except for vehicles which are to be used primarily within this State, shall be entitled to a credit as provided herein against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L. 1945, c. 162 (C. 54:10A-5) in an amount equal to 50% of the cost of the recycling equipment less the amount of any loan received pursuant to section 56 of P.L. 1981, c. 278 (C. 13:1E-96). The tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L. 1945, c. 162 shall first be reduced by the amount of any credit allowable pursuant to section 19 of P.L. 1983, c. 303 (C. 52:27H-78) prior to applying the credit allowed pursuant to this section. The amount of the credit claimed in the tax year for which certification of equipment is received, and the amount of credit claimed therefor in each tax year thereafter, shall not exceed 20% of the amount of the total credit allowable, shall not exceed 50% of the tax liability which would be otherwise due, and shall not reduce the amount of tax liability to less than the statutory minimum provided in subsection (e) of section 5 of P.L. 1945, c. 162. For the purposes of this section, “recycling equipment” means new vehicles used exclusively for the transportation of post-consumer waste material, or new machinery or new apparatus used exclusively to process post-consumer waste material and manufacturing machinery used exclusively to produce finished products, the composition of which is at least 50% post-consumer waste materials.

“Post-consumer waste material” means any product generated by a business or consumer which has served its intended end use, and which has been separated from solid waste for the purposes of collection, marketing and disposition and which does not include secondary waste material or demolition waste; and “secondary waste material” means waste material generated after the completion of a manufacturing process.

b. In order to qualify for the tax credit pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the taxpayer shall apply for a certification from the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection that certifies that the equipment purchased qualifies as recycling equipment as defined in subsection a. of this section. The certification shall specifically indicate the date of purchase, a description of the equipment, and the cost, and state that the equipment has not previously qualified for a credit pursuant to this section either for the owner or for a previous owner.

Upon certification, the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection shall submit a copy thereof to the taxpayer and the Director of the Division of Taxation. When filing a tax return that includes a claim for a credit pursuant to this section, the taxpayer shall include a copy of the certification and a statement that the recycling equipment is in use in the applicable tax year and is used exclusively in New Jersey, except for vehicles which shall be used primarily in New Jersey. Any credit shall be valid in the tax year in which the certification is approved and any unused portion thereof may be carried forward into subsequent years as provided in subsection a. of this section.

The Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Taxation, shall adopt rules and regulations establishing technical specifications and certification requirements for the qualification of recycling equipment for the credit established pursuant to this section.

c. On or before January 31 of each year, the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection shall submit a report to the Governor, the State Treasurer, and the Legislature setting forth the number of certifications that were approved during the preceding calendar year and the cost of each type of recycling equipment which has been certified as qualifying for the credit.

L. 1987, c. 102, s. 42; per s.53, section expired December 31, 1996.