LENEXA, Kan. – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $1.6 million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expand recycling infrastructure and waste management systems across Missouri.
EPA has selected the Boonslick Regional Planning Commission in Missouri to receive grants totaling over $1 million under the newly created Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling funding opportunity. In addition, the agency is making available approximately $572,000 for Missouri to improve solid waste management planning, data collection, and implementation of plans. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 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.”
“We are excited that the Boonslick Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) has been awarded this project through EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program,” said Boonslick Regional Planning Commission Chairman Ryan Poston. This grant will increase and improve the capacities of the East Central Missouri Recycling Center. The outcomes of this opportunity will greatly impact our community and will allow residents of the Boonslick Region and surrounding areas further access to recycling drop-off locations as well as increase the amount of materials that the Recycling Center handles.”
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% 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%) of the total funding for communities will go toward projects that benefit disadvantaged communities.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Communities
The recycling grants for communities will support improvements to waste management systems across the country. The Boonslick Regional Planning Commission will use funds to expand the East Central Solid Waste Management District by buying a truck, a trailer, and a styrofoam compactor, as well as building a new storage house with a concrete driveway. These actions will help the recycling center create 20 staffed drop-off locations throughout the four-county region of Warren, Lincoln, Montgomery, and Franklin counties in Missouri.
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.
Missouri will use funds to update its Solid Waste Management Plan with input from interested parties across the state, including 25 members of Missouri’s Solid Waste Advisory Board. The plan will include:
- An addendum identifying priority items and implementation strategies.
- A statewide market development plan, with strategies for maximizing collected funds and improving markets for scrap tires, as well as the recovery of emerging materials (e.g., solar panels and wind turbines).
- Commissioning a sustainable, organic materials management plan, including strategies for usable food recovery to reduce food insecurity; recovery of organic materials for animal feed; and recovery of biochar for agricultural applications.
These grants represent important steps toward achieving the 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
Today’s 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. EPA has selected these entities to receive funding for recycling infrastructure projects and anticipates making all the awards announced today once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
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.