Pennsylvania Awards Three Grants for Recycling Purposes

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has awarded three grants, totaling close to $890,000 to companies that will boost their usage of recycled materials. The grant money comes through the state’s Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development program.

The Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development grants announced today total nearly $890,000, said the Governor, and will help firms in Carbon, Erie and Washington counties reduce their energy consumption, control costs and create new jobs.

The grants help finance machinery or equipment purchases that make it easier for businesses to consume recyclable materials recovered in Pennsylvania. The reimbursement grants are awarded to both businesses and nonprofit organizations that either manufacture or reuse an existing product in the state. Parties considering the opportunity of using recyclable materials also can apply for the grants. Grants of up to $500,000 are available for any single recycling infrastructure development project.

The three grants receiving funding are the following:

-- Alliance Sand Operation LLC, Carbon County, will use its $224,000 grant to buy glass-crushing equipment that will allow it to recycle 500 tons of mixed-colored, post-consumer glass bottles per year. The glass will be transformed into sand that will be used as filters in on-lot sewage treatment systems - a market with an estimated demand of up to 2 million tons per year in Pennsylvania alone.

-- Engineered Plastics Inc., Erie County, will use its $500,000 grant to purchase recycling equipment that will allow it to process a broader spectrum of materials, including low-demand products like stretch wrapping and plastics used for agricultural and medical purposes. The equipment will also help the company double its use of waste plastics to nearly 3,800 tons each year. Engineered Plastics anticipates hiring up to 10 additional full-time staff as a result of the state's investment.

-- World Kitchen LLC, Washington County, will use its $165,173 grant to buy a glass crusher that will enable it to annually replace virgin materials in its manufacturing processes with 15,000 tons of clear, post-consumer glass. Using recycled inputs will allow the company to lower temperatures in the company's melting tank, which will reduce its energy costs, cut emissions and extend the tank's life.