Submitted

On Wednesday, Sept. 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $500,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expand recycling infrastructure and waste management systems across Kansas.

EPA has selected the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment to receive grants totaling over $500,000 under the newly created Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling funding opportunity. The agency is making these funds available for Kansas to improve solid waste management planning, data collection and implementation of plans. This investment, totaling $105 million nationwide, is a part of EPA’s largest recycling investment in 30 years.

These grants support the implementation of EPA’s National Recycling Strategy to build an economy devoted to keeping materials, products and services in circulation for as long as possible – what’s known as a “circular economy.”

“Reducing waste is one very important step we can take to fight the climate crisis and ensure environmental justice in our Heartland communities,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this funding will help our region’s states reduce gases like methane by diverting waste from landfills. These funds will also ensure that our overburdened communities get the resources needed for a cleaner and healthier environment for all.”

President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure to driving over $470 billion in private-sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program is also advancing President’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution. Approximately $56 million out of the $73 million (or 76 percent) of the total funding for communities will go toward projects that benefit disadvantaged communities.

Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for States and Territories

The recycling grants for states and territories will provide funding to all 56 states, territories and the District of Columbia via grants ranging from $360,000 to $750,000, with the highest grant amounts supporting those states and territories that need it the most.

Kansas will use funds to advance its statewide solid waste management plan and support the state’s progress toward the National Recycling Goal and Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal. Kansas will form a steering and advisory committee to facilitate discussions on data collection practices, data analysis and application of findings.

In addition, Kansas will conduct waste and recycling characterizations in conjunction with data collection about household hazardous waste and composting. Following data collection, Kansas will develop its solid waste management plan.

These grants represent important steps toward achieving EPA’s National Recycling Goal and Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal. Funded activities include improving post-consumer materials management programs through developing or updating solid waste management plans and strengthening data collection efforts.

Additional Background

This announcement for states, territories and communities is the first round of funding from this new grant program. In the coming months, EPA will announce the selected recipients of the recycling grants for tribes and intertribal consortia, as well as the recipients of EPA’s new Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a total of $275 million from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2026 for grants authorized under the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act – the largest investment in recycling in 30 years. The recycling grants are supplemented with additional funding provided through EPA’s annual appropriations.

For details about the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program selectees and other Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-related funding opportunities, visit the EPA Recycling Grants page.