The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded $808,000 in Recycling Industries Reimbursement Credit (RIRC) grants to 13 recycling businesses across the state. According to Stephen Long, Recycling Markets Planner with the Massachusetts DEP, the grants will enable the recipients to process potentially 35,934 additional tons of post-consumer material yearly.
Grant recipients were:
- Amy Bauman of Cambridge, a consultant who will produce a C&D recycling “toolkit” for contractors that includes resources and information on recycling and reusing construction and demolition waste.
- Architectural Timber and Millwork of Hadley, will expand its processing facility to house more material salvaged from C&D projects.
- Capital Paper Recycling of East Weymouth, a paper recycling company, will purchase enhanced paper-sorting machinery.
- Conigliaro Industries of Framingham, a recycled-content manufacturer, will conduct testing on a prototype concrete block that uses mixed-color glass to replace sand.
- Crisping Designs of Great Barrington, a manufacturer of recycled-textile products, will buy commercial-grade sewing and washing machines that will enable the company to reuse more discarded clothing.
- Groundscape Express of Wrentham, a composting company, will improve sites to enable the composting of additional food waste from large commercial sources.
- Martin’s Farm of Greenfield, a registered on-farm compost site, will purchase a tub grinder to expand its processing capacity.
- Mill-Tex of Millbury, a textile recycler, will buy a fabric cutter to increase capacity.
- New England Demolition & Salvage of East Wareham, a used building material recover and retail operation, will expand its processing capacity.
- PAC Trading of New Bedford, a textile recycler, will install a conveyor belt.
- SelecTech Inc. of Taunton, a manufacturer of products from recycled plastic, will buy a mold for a floor-tile product.
- Waste Options of Nantucket, a mulch and garden products manufacture, will buy a tub grinder to process wood waste from new construction sites.
Recipients contributed $2.04 million in matching funds. Long says that recipients were selected based on qulaitative and quantitative assessments. The proposals were reviewed by staff from the DEP and the Chelsea Center for Recycling and Economic Development. Long adds that DEP regional solid waste and compliance and enforcement staff were consulted regarding compliance issues and permit needs.
The RIRC grant program is designed to help overcome barriers to recycling and material reuse. The DEP seeks recycled processors and manufacturers who will create sustainable markets for specific materials as grant recipients. For more information on the Massachusetts DEP and the various grants available, visit http://www.state.ma.us/dep.