Medford Gets Recycling, Waste Reduction Assistance Grant

The Massachusetts Governor’s office announced Wednesday more than $1.4 million in Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) grants to municipalities and regional solid waste districts across the state to help maximize recycling, composting and waste reduction programs.

“Some of the most important environmental protection work happens every day in communities across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “With this assistance, we are ensuring that local officials, residents and small business owners can continue to protect our neighborhoods and natural resources.”

The city of Medford was one of 216 communities to receive a grant. Medford was awarded a total grant of $2,000.

“Recycling and waste reductions efforts are critical to our goal of reducing the waste stream,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “These grants bring much needed assistance to municipalities that struggle to educate residents about why recycling can make a difference in their communities and bottom line.”

Out of 216 awardees, 137 communities qualified for the SMRP’s “Recycling Dividends Program” (RDP) and will receive payments ranging from $1,200 to $66,000, for a total of $1.18 million statewide. The RDP recognizes municipalities that have implemented policies and programs proven to maximize materials reuse and recycling, as well as waste reduction.

Communities that earn RDP payments must reinvest the funds in their recycling programs for things such as new recycling bins or carts, public education and outreach campaigns, collection of hard-to-recycle items and the establishment of recycling programs in schools, municipal buildings and other public spaces.

“Every ton of material that is recycled instead of disposed as trash puts resources back into the Massachusetts economy and supports local businesses throughout the collection, processing and manufacturing chain,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.

As part of the SMRP, all 210 municipalities that also applied for “Small-Scale Initiative Grants” were awarded funding. These population-based grants range from $500 to $2,000 each and help communities purchase modest, but critical recycling materials and outreach tools needed to sustain their existing recycling program or to facilitate new, low-cost initiatives.

“These new funds give communities the opportunity to make critical investments in their recycling programs, capturing more materials that can be reused, and helping them to reduce their waste disposal costs,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg.

The RDP was rolled out in 2014 as the newest initiative under MassDEP’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program, which was created by the Green Communities Act of 2008. The Act requires that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Waste Energy Certificates (WECs) be directed to recycling programs approved by MassDEP.