NWRA urges Senate leadership to include PPP flexibility provisions in next stimulus bill

In a letter sent July 20, the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) calls upon Republican Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to include S. 3984 in the next stimulus package. According to the NWRA, S. 3984 is legislation that would increase the Paycheck Protection Program’s (PPP) flexibility by specifically including payments for waste and recycling collection services as an allowable expenditure under debt forgiveness provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“We urge Sens. McConnell and Schumer to include this bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sens. Tom Carper, John Boozman and Rob Portman in the next stimulus package. The private waste and recycling industry is essential to preventing the spread of illness and disease, especially now during the COVID-19 global pandemic,” NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith says.

During the pandemic, NWRA members have been classified as “essential” and are listed under five different “essential critical infrastructure workers” headings in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 3.0 guidelines.

In a news release, NWRA says, “[It’s members] have continued providing waste and recycling services to their customers and communities in order to protect the public’s health and safety and will do so as long as they are capable. Businesses and customers who receive PPP loans should be able to use those funds to pay for waste and recycling services, just as they would water, gas, internet or phone services.”