Dive Brief:
- Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has awarded more than $60,000 in grants to municipalities – the second round since August 2015 — to support local waste reduction and recycling programs.
- The most recent recipients of DEEP's Recycling Incentive Grants are Greenwich ($20,000), Ridgefield ($13,000), and Mansfield ($6,800), along with four other towns.
- The August 2015 recycling grants, awarded to seven communities, totaled $45,000.
Dive Insight:
More municipalities are investing in recycling by rewarding its pioneers in this niche, and encouraging others to join the efforts to reduce waste through programs like those in Connecticut. New Jersey is awarding more than $14.3 million in recycling grants for local programs with the top performance through its Recycling Enhancement Act.
As DEEP works to propel Connecticut toward its fast-approaching goal of doubling its recycling rate to 60% by 2024, the agency’s Commissioner Robert Klee has congratulated the seven Connecticut towns for advancing their municipal recycling systems and demonstrating "a commitment to a 21st Century materials management strategy ... These communities are taking advantage of DEEP’s resources to further reduce the volume of trash we dispose of, conserve natural resources and find value in our waste stream."
The idea is to invest in the front in promoting a lead-by-example culture to cut environmental impacts and costs tied to waste disposal, while conserving Connecticut’s resources and creating "green" jobs.
