Home » Governor announces $3.9 million in waste grants

Governor announces $3.9 million in waste grants

Recycling, household hazardous waste programs funded

FRANKFORT, KY (June 13, 2012) –  Gov. Steve Beshear today announced 44 recycling and 17 household hazardous waste grants to expand recycling, reduce the amount of solid waste going into landfills and sustain the environmental management of household hazardous waste.

The Kentucky Pride Fund is awarding $3.9 million to the 61 grantees, including $6,300 to the Washington County Regional Recycling Center for advertising and educational materials, and $306,000 to the Northern Kentucky Solid Waste Management Area (Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties) for a conveyor, a skid steer loader, a baler, recycling trailers and educational materials.

As a sign of the continuing interest in growing recycling infrastructure in the Commonwealth, seven of the 44 recycling grant applications were from first-time applicants. Three of the 17 applicants vying for household hazardous waste grants were first-time applicants.

“Recycling and managing household hazardous waste plays a large part in Kentucky’s efforts to go green and conserve energy statewide,” said Gov. Beshear. “The household hazardous waste grants allow homeowners to safely dispose of chemicals and other materials that pose a potential threat to human health and the environment.”

The Kentucky Pride Fund, administered by the Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Waste Management, receives a portion of the $1.75 fee for each ton of municipal solid waste disposed of in Kentucky landfills.

“The Kentucky Pride Fund program is increasing the infrastructure that allows more Kentuckians to participate in the recycling, waste reduction, and reuse of materials we have on hand, thereby reducing our need for virgin materials and lessening our carbon footprint,” said Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters.

The grants require a 25 percent local match in the form of cash or “in kind” personnel, educational materials, educational activities and advertising to promote the program from the cities or counties receiving the awards, Sec. Peters said.

A complete list of grant recipients can be viewed at http://waste.ky.gov/RLA/recycling/Pages/recycling.aspx.