Arizona DEC Offers Grants

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has announced that it is accepting grant applications for nearly $1.2 million in funding for municipal waste reduction and recycling programs.

Private enterprises, political subdivisions, Tribal governments and nonprofit organizations serving communities in Arizona can apply for the grants, and community partnership collaborations are encouraged.

The funds available are:

• Waste Reduction Assistance (WRA) Grant No. EV08-001—Intended to assist in providing recycling opportunities to all Arizonans in addition to providing funding assistance to projects that diver significant amounts of materials from the solid waste stream or components of a comprehensive program designed to achieve high diversion levels. These projects can include a small public awareness component.
• Waste Reduction Initiative Through Education (WRITE) Grant No. EV08-002—Intended to provide all Arizonans with the information and education needed to increase awareness to properly reduce and dispose of solid waste and to encourage participation in source reduction, reuse and recycling opportunities. WRITE projects should convey the importance of conserving natural resources and the benefits associated with reducing, recycling, recycling, composting, buying recycled and/or properly disposing of solid waste.
• Recycling Research and Development (RR&D) Grant No. EV08-003—Intended to provide funding assistance to projects that develop tools and ideas and create knowledge that will help to divert significant volumes of material from the solid waste stream in the near future. Projects shall involve research, including feasibility studies, solid waste audits and/or technology development, with the intent of increasing the proper disposal of solid waste, source reduction, recycling, buying recycled content products and/or composting.

Applications are available for download at www.azdeq.gov and going to the Waste Programs Division icon and clicking on the “Recycling Program Grants Manual” link. Copies can also be obtained by mail by phoning (602) 771-4133. The deadline for applications is Thursday, March 1, 2007, by 3 p.m. Arizona time.