The state of Washington’s Department of Ecology has awarded grants to three counties in the state to help reduce waste and increase the amount of recycling taking place.
The new grants are above and beyond the Coordinated Prevention Grants that are awarded by Ecology every two years to carry out regular hazardous-waste management, home composting, illegal dumping and other solid- and hazardous-waste programs.
"Occasionally, counties and cities don't use all of their grant money, and they have to return it to us," said Mike Hibbler of Ecology's solid-waste program in Spokane. "So we started this pilot program to get the money back out to local governments so they can expand their recycling programs."
In the 13 eastern-most counties in Washington, eight projects will receive $537,045. The projects will be designed and running by next spring.
The funds come from a tax paid by wholesale distributors of petroleum and other hazardous materials, under the voter-approved Toxic Cleanup Act of 1989.
The Asotin County Health Department will be receiving grants totaling $13,763 to help school teachers to use a new environmental curriculum in the elementary schools.
The Grant County Public Works Department received $14,719 to hold a collection event in the Mattawa area for scrap metal, appliances and old cars. Used oil, antifreeze, Freon and other wastes will be reclaimed, and the remaining metal will be recycled.
Lincoln County Public Works will use its grant of $28,875 to purchase a wood chipper to help residents grind up their woody yard debris. The chipped material will be mulched, composted and incorporated directly into soil.
The Walla Walla County Regional Planning Department, which covers Columbia
County as well, was awarded a total of $479,688 for several projects.
Funding will be provided to the Walla Walla State Penitentiary for a food-waste compost facility.
The city of Walla Walla will build a permanent yard-waste composting facility at the existing Sudbury landfill site, so residents have a place to compost green yard waste.
Finally, the Walla Walla County Regional Planning Department will purchase several cardboard recycling bins for downtown businesses and use $2,500 to help sponsor the "Renewable Energy Festival" in Walla Walla next autumn.Latest from Recycling Today
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