EPA Seeks Input on Recycling Grants & Programs Being Developed

The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides an unprecedented $375 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop three new waste prevention, reuse, and recycling programs: (1) Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program; (2) Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program, Model Recycling Program Toolkit and School Curriculum; and (3) Battery Collection Best Practices and Voluntary Battery Labeling Guidelines.  Learn about these new grant and initiatives being designed and share your feedback.  

Solid Waste Infrastructure and Recycling Grant Program

Funding Available: $275 million total; $55 million nationally per year from fiscal year 2022 to 2026; no match requirement

Goals: improve post-consumer materials management and infrastructure; support improvements to local post-consumer materials management and recycling programs; and assist local waste management authorities in making improvements to local waste management systems

Eligible Entities: include municipalities, states, and tribes (does not include nonprofit organizations); 40% of funding to disadvantaged communities in first year

Timeline: EPA anticipates making grant applications available in September or October of 2022 with funding available in spring 2023

Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program

Funding Available: $75 million total; $15 million nationally per year from fiscal year 2022 to 2026; no match requirement 

Goals: support education and outreach on consumer recycling and waste prevention; inform public on what is accepted in community recycling programs; increase collection rates and decrease contamination in recycling 

Eligible Entities: include municipalities, states, tribes, nonprofit organizations, and public-private partnerships; 40% of funding to disadvantaged communities in first year 

Timeline: EPA anticipates making grant applications available in September or October of 2022 with funding available in spring 2023

Model Recycling Program Toolkit & Battery Collection Best Practices

In addition to the above grant programs, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requires EPA to develop a model recycling program toolkit and battery recycling best practices and voluntary battery labeling guidelines. 

Share Your Feedback

EPA is asking all interested individuals and organizations to share their perspectives to inform the development of these programs.  NRRA members are welcome to submit feedback through EPA's website below or share feedback with Reagan Bissonnette, NRRA Executive Director, who will submit feedback to EPA on behalf of NRRA. 

EPA is seeking feedback on:

• Infrastructure Needs and Priorities (July 25 deadline): What are your top needs and challenges related to solid waste management and recycling infrastructure? What projects or activities should EPA consider eligible for funding as part of the infrastructure grant program? What would be your ideal measure(s) of program success, and what would you need to collect and use these data?
  
  
• Education and Outreach Needs and Priorities (July 25 deadline): What limitations are you experiencing in administering effective recycling education and outreach program? What are your most needed educational resources? What would be your ideal measure(s) of program success, and what would you need to collect and use these data?

• Battery Collection & Labeling (July 11 deadline):  What types of batteries should EPA include in the best practices for collection? What are the current barriers to safe and effective battery collection and recycling? What practices exist to improve battery collection and recycling, especially to increase the safe recovery of critical minerals?  What existing labeling programs should EPA use to inform a new labeling program?

NRRA will keep members updated about these important grant programs and initiatives.  You can also sign up for updates from EPA on these Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs.