Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder announced Tuesday that they awarded a total of $1,692,426 in grants for waste reduction and recycling projects.
The grants are available through the Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant Fund. This fund is generated by a fee on solid waste disposed of in landfills, disposal fees, an annual retail business sales fee, business fees, and a fee assessed on the sale of new tires for motor vehicles, tire fees.
Tire fee grants totaling $1.86 million for projects related to tire recycling were previously announced in May.
Examples of 2012 grant recipients include:
- The Lexington Area Solid Waste Agency was awarded $22,121 to hold seven Household Hazardous Waste Collection events this fiscal year. These collection events will include electronics waste. The collection events in the project will reduce the total amount of waste that ends up in landfills, reduce improper disposal of hazardous and/or toxic waste, and provide the public with a reliable and accessible method for disposing of hazardous waste.
- The Habitat for Humanity – Omaha ReStore was awarded $28,995. The Habitat for Humanity reuse store in Omaha has been so successful in diverting good used building materials from landfills that they have opened a second store in Omaha. Habitat for Humanity will use the grant award to purchase a truck and forklift for use in loading and unloading donated material in their new reuse store. The proceeds from sales made in these two stores go directly to the building of more decent and affordable Habitat for Humanity homes in Douglas and Washington Counties.
- The Village of Verdigre was awarded $9,504. This award will enable the Village of Verdigre to add new activities, which will increase the volume and types of material recycled throughout the western Knox County area. These new activities include a web page and Facebook presence created by the high school computer class, promotion of regional recycling events, and coordination of special recycling activities.
Among the 2012 grants awarded, business fees totaling $775,965 were given to 15 public, private, or non-profit organizations while $916,461in disposal fees were awarded to 16 counties, municipalities, and agencies.
