Connecticut makes $7.5M available for waste reduction programs

Connecticut is making a multimillion-dollar pledge to support sustainable waste reduction efforts across the state, reports WTIC Hartford. 

Gov. Ned Lamont announced April 17 that $7.5 million in state funding is available to help municipalities increase recycling and diversion while enhancing their self-sufficiency in managing municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal. 

His office said in a release that the state continues to assist towns and cities in identifying sustainable ways to dispose of waste and realize savings. 

“With local options for solid waste disposal shrinking and the cost to dispose of waste out-of-state rising, this grant opportunity gives municipalities more control of their disposal costs and more creative options that are also good for the environment,” Lamont said.

Administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Sustainable Materials Management Grant Program opened a request for applications for a second round of grants aimed at supporting the development of food scrap collection and unit-based pricing programs, as well as other reduction, recycling and diversion programs.

The grants will fund strategies recommended by the Connecticut Coalition for Sustainable Materials Management, which includes more than 100 municipalities statewide, that are developing ways to reduce waste and increase recycling and reuse.

DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes tells WTIC that municipal leaders in Connecticut know that the easiest way to reduce the cost of managing MSW is to reduce the amount of waste being created in the first place.

The first round of the grant program showed that the strategies work, she added, with the awardees successfully bringing down costs for towns while contributing to the state’s self-sufficiency.

The first round of the grant program funded pilot initiatives in 15 municipalities and three regional entities. The focus was on food scraps diversion programs, including unit-based pricing elements. The pilot programs provided ample data regarding approaches that can help reduce costs and environmental impact associated with MSW disposal. 

Grants are available for both individual municipalities and groups of them. They also can be awarded to regional entities such as councils of governments, regional planning agencies, resource recovery authorities, recycling operating committees and regional waste authorities.

Eligible applicants must submit a completed application following the rules of the RFA, which can be found here. Grant applications need to be submitted to DEEP by Friday, June 27.