$6M awarded to Nebraska waste and litter reduction projects

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) has announced the award of over $6 million in grants to support 161 projects across the state. The grants will help fund litter and waste reduction projects, recycling programs and pay costs for scrap tire cleanups and collections for household hazardous waste, electronic waste and pharmaceuticals.

“There were many outstanding applications submitted to NDEE this year,” says Jim Macy, NDEE director. “These grants will assist many important local efforts to promote litter and waste reduction and help handle the costs of proper disposal of many materials, such as household hazardous waste and scrap tires.”

Waste reduction and recycling incentive funds are generated by a fee on solid waste disposed of in landfills, an annual retail business sales fee and a fee assessed on the sale of new tires. Grants are provided to locally integrated waste management projects, which can include recycling systems, household hazardous waste collections and composting.

For 2020, 33 projects totaling over $2 million were funded under the business fee, disposal fee and deconstruction of abandoned buildings categories.

Also included in the waste reduction and recycling incentive program are the scrap tire funds, which are generated from a $1 fee on new tires purchased in Nebraska. This year, 77 grants totaling over $1 million will fund 33 scrap tire cleanup events across the state, and enough funding was awarded to clean up 5,171 tons of scrap tires.

Litter reduction and recycling funds are generated from a fee charged to certain manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of products that commonly contribute to litter. The program has been providing grants annually since 1979 and awarded 51 litter grants totaling over $1.5 million to public education, cleanup and recycling categories this year.

According to the NDEE, priority is given to programs that promote markets for recycled materials or purchasing products made from recycled materials. Cleanup grants provide funding for Nebraska residents of all ages who pick up litter and debris along Nebraska’s highways, waterways, recreation lands, urban areas and other public use areas within the state.

“Not only are the public areas improved through the removal of litter, but also much of the materials collected [are] recycled,” the NDEE says. “Recycling programs provide an alternative to the disposal of solid waste in Nebraska’s landfills.”