Recycling Companies Awarded Grants

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced grant awards totaling $150,000 to three companies for efforts to increase demand for recycled materials. Each will receive up to $80,000 in Recycling Industries Reimbursement Credit grants, a program designed to develop and strengthen markets for certain difficult-to-recycle materials, including construction and demolition waste (wood, carpet, paint, and building materials), food waste and other recoverable materials.

The grants will reimburse the three companies for the purchase of new equipment that will increase their capacity to recycle. The recipients are committed to recycling the targeted materials and are providing a total of more than $150,000 in matching funds.

"These companies are developing innovative and creative ways to use recyclable materials, which protects the environment and stimulates economic development in Massachusetts," said DEP Commissioner Lauren A. Liss. "These grants are an environmentally sound investment in the future of the Commonwealth. Recycling-related industries already support thousands of jobs in Massachusetts, and these grants will help those industries continue to thrive.”

Building new recycling markets helps cities and towns sustain and grow recycling programs, reducing dependence on disposal and cutting solid waste disposal costs. These projects represent an important investment in the environmental infrastructure. The RIRC program provides an opportunity to add value to recyclable materials through market-based incentives.

ProPel PlasTech of South Deerfield will receive a grant of $30,000. The company will purchase grinding equipment to recycle 1,200 tons per year of scrap plastic from Massachusetts manufacturers into ground plastic, which will then be reincorporated into the products from which it was generated, such as barrels, film and other mixed plastics. The company will commit $70,000 in matching funds.

AMT BioProducts, Corp. (dba American Marine Technologies) of New Bedford will receive a grant of $80,000. The company will purchase equipment to recycle up to 625 tons per year of fish waste into nutraceuticals and fertilizer, and will invest $70,000 in matching funds.

Massachusetts Natural Fertilizer Company, Inc. will receive a $40,000 grant. The Westminster firm will renovate an existing farm building to recycle 10,000 tons per year of food waste from institutions (colleges and universities, prisons, and school cafeterias) and grocery stores into compost. The company will invest $8,000 in matching funds.