BOSTON – To mark America Recycles Day, the Baker-Polito Administration recently announced $3.1 million in grant funding to 268 municipalities and regional solid waste districts across the Commonwealth. The grants, made available through the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP), will help municipalities and solid waste districts maximize recycling, composting, and waste reduction programs. The Plymouth & Norfolk District will receive $126,850 as part of the program.

“I am very proud to say that every town in the Plymouth & Norfolk District received funding through this program,” said State Senator Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “I know this funding will go a long way in helping our towns build a healthier local environment.”

This year, under SMRP, 226 communities qualified for the Recycling Dividends Program (RDP) and will receive payments ranging from $2,100 to $97,500 for a total of $3,120,300. The RDP recognizes municipalities that have implemented policies and programs proven to maximize the reuse and recycling of materials, as well as waste reduction. Communities that earn RDP payments must reinvest the funds in their recycling programs for things such as new recycling bins or carts, public education and outreach campaigns, collection of hard-to-recycle items, and the establishment of recycling programs in schools, municipal buildings, and other public spaces.

“Recycling programs play a vital role in limiting our dependence on landfills and incinerators, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting economic activity across the Commonwealth,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “These grants will support expanded recycling and waste reduction efforts and help local communities build a more sustainable future.”

As part of this SMRP grant round, 42 municipalities that did not apply for or qualify for an RDP payment will be awarded a total of $46,250 for a Small-Scale Initiatives Grant. These population-based grants range from $500 to $2,000 each and help communities purchase modest, but critical recycling materials and outreach tools needed to sustain their existing recycling program or to facilitate new, low-cost initiatives. Each of these SMRP programs are administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

“We recently released the final 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan and expanded material waste ban regulations that have established aggressive goals to reduce our waste disposal and increase recycling,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “The SMRP grants announced today will help these 268 communities to partner with us to reach our recycling goals, while capturing more materials for reuse and saving on local disposal costs.”

The RDP was rolled out in 2014 under MassDEP’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program, which was created by the Green Communities Act of 2008. The Act requires that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Waste Energy Certificates (WECs) be directed to recycling programs approved by MassDEP. The SMRP initiative has provided more than $46 million to recycling programs since 2010. The WEC payments received by MassDEP are deposited into the SMRP Expendable Trust, which is used to fund grants, technical assistance, and education to help communities, businesses and institutions increase recycling and reduce waste.

See a list of the 268 RDP and Small-Scale grant awards here.