E-newsletter highlighting grant deadlines, upcoming workshops and available resources for municipal recycling and solid waste leaders. |
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New! CCSMM Learning Series program
Deconstruction: Where to Begin for a Municipal Program to Reduce Demolition Waste
May 26, 2021
1:00pm – 2:30pm ET
Speakers:
Joe DeRisi, DPW, Town of Hamden, Connecticut and Urbanminers
Stephanie Phillips, Office of Historic Preservation, San Antonio, Texas
Shawn Wood, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, City of Portland, Oregon
Register in advance for this meeting:
Building deconstruction is an alternative to traditional demolition, which maximizes the reuse of building materials. Learn how and where to begin a program for your town, which can include nonmandated and mandated activities to incentive waste reduction and reuse. Learn from experts in the field on what building deconstruction is, how to support and expand these activities with planning and good policy.
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MORE DECONSTRUCTION RESOURCES |
Video Spotlight:
U.S. EPA Region 4, The Benefits of Deconstruction, May 2020
Vancouver Economic Commission, et al., Business Case for Deconstruction Industry Whitepaper, July 2020
Construction and Demolition Material Guidance
RecyclingWorks developed a set of Best Management Practices to help businesses manage C&D materials. This guidance covers deconstruction, demolition, and renovation projects, the reuse and donation of building materials, on-site source separation of C&D materials, and mixed C&D recycling. This resource also identifies existing C&D material processors and non-profit reuse outlets for building materials in Massachusetts.
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EPA’s Resources, Waste and Climate Website
Here are some examples of how agencies are incorporating Consumption, Waste Reduction and Green Purchasing into Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Climate Action Plans:
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Global Source Reduction &
Reuse Research
National Zero Waste Council (Metro Vancouver initiative), Waste Prevention: The Environmental and Economic Benefits for Canada, March 2021:
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U.S. EPA Escaped
Trash Assessment Protocol
This new quantitative survey tool provides a standard method for collecting and assessing litter data. It will provide practitioners and citizen scientists with a comprehensive and rigorous method for quantifying trash loadings. The tool can also be used to assess item age and level of fouling and analyze and compare across specific material types and categories of trash collected. This information can eventually be used to guide upstream source reduction decisions.
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2020 State of Curbside Recycling Report
The Recycling Partnership
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White Paper/Blog:
Start at the Cart™:
The Recycling Partnership
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Salisbury & Sharon Food Scraps Collection Video
On May 1st, they started a 5 month pilot program to collect food scraps at their shared municipal transfer station. The food scraps will be picked up by Curbside Compost from Ridgefield.
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HAVE YOU RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY?
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Training for Waste Industry
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) and its partners are developing a national training on diversity, inclusion, and racial equity in our industry and are soliciting input via a quick, 5-min survey.
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USDA Food Loss and
Waste Innovation Fair
May 26, 2021
12:00 PM -3:00 PM
This free, virtual innovation fair will highlight businesses that are creating state-of-the-art technical solutions to reduce food loss and waste. Featured organizations include U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions; USDA agencies working on food loss and waste-reducing activities; and USDA-funded organizations developing or marketing food loss and waste reducing technologies. Register here.
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Recorded EPA Webinars
Trash Free Waters Webinars
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NRRA 2020 Summer Webinars Are Now Available for FREE to Everyone
These webinar recordings are available and open to all. The following audiences are encouraged to participate: municipal recycling and transfer station staff, solid waste operators, public works staff, state and local government officials and staff, educators and community members. New Hampshire solid waste operators will receive one hour of continuing education credit for each webinar for participating.
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Lee Sawyer Grant RFP Webinar
June 3, 2021
10am
Proposals for the Lee Sawyer Community Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant are due June 30, 2021.
Anyone is invited to make contributions to support RecycleCT generally, or to support the Lee Sawyer Community Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant. Those interested in contributing may do so on www.recyclect.com.
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Please email your program budget to:
Applications and Budgets due June 30, 2021
at 5:00pm ET.
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2021 Healthy Communities Grant Program
Proposals due by May 20, 2021
The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England’s main competitive grant program to fund work directly with communities to support EPA’s mission to reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health and improve the quality of life.
To qualify as eligible projects under the Healthy Communities Grant Program, proposed projects must: (1) be located in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas; and (2) identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas.
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Target Investment Areas: Areas Needing to Create Community Resilience, Environmental. Justice Areas of Potential Concern, and/or Sensitive Populations
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Target Program Areas: Clean, Green and Healthy Schools; Energy Efficiency; Healthy Tribal Drinking Water Quality; Healthy Indoor Environments; Healthy Outdoor Environments; and/or Pollution Prevention
The Healthy Communities Grant Program anticipates awarding approximately 10 cooperative agreements in 2021. Proposals may be submitted for amounts up to $30,000. Project periods may be for one or two years, starting no earlier than October 1, 2021. Detailed descriptions of the target areas can be found in the application guidance. For more information: https://www3.epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/grants_2021hc.html
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USDA Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction Pilot Projects
Closing Date July 16, 2021
The cooperative agreements support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans and they are part of USDA’s broader efforts to support urban agriculture.
Cooperative agreements support projects led by local governments that:
- Generate compost.
- Increase access to compost for agricultural producers.
- Reduce reliance on and limit the use of fertilizer.
- Improve soil quality.
- Encourage waste management and permaculture business development.
- Increase rainwater absorption.
- Reduce municipal food waste.
- Divert food waste from landfills.
Priority will be given to projects that anticipate or demonstrate economic benefits, incorporate plans to make compost easily accessible to farmers, including community gardeners, integrate other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts and collaborate with multiple partners. Projects should span two years with a start date of September 25, 2021, and completion date of September 25, 2023.
Eligibility: City or township governments, County governments, State-designated Indian Tribes, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, Special district governments, State Governments in the U.S. (Note: Non-eligible partners are allowed.)
Funding: Estimated total program funding $2,000,000, awards $45,000-90,000 ($25% match required)
Closing Date: July 16, 2021 (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
Additional Information:
- Press Release:
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Webinar Series: Following the Roadmap to 2030: Taking Action to Reduce U.S. Food Waste by 50%
Join for a new webinar series designed to help you make the most of ReFED’s Insights Engine and Roadmap to 2030: Reducing U.S. Food Waste by 50%. Each installment will dig deep into one of the seven key action areas of the Roadmap to 2030, exploring what’s happening on the ground, what challenges to reducing food waste remain, which solutions can make an impact, and how solution providers are already bringing them to life. Hear from experts across the food system – from food businesses to funders, innovators to policymakers, and more – will participate in lively conversations about what needs to be done to reach our goal of a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030. Register for any or all seven installments below. Not sure you’ll be able to attend? Register anyway to receive recordings of each installment. Upcoming webinars:
- June 2 – “Optimize the Harvest” at 1pm ET
- June 30 – “Enhance Product Distribution” at 1pm ET
- July 28 – “Refine Product Management” at 1pm ET
- August 25 – “Maximize Product Utilization” at 1pm ET
- September 22 – “Reshape Consumer Environments” at 1pm ET
- October 20 – “Strengthen Food Rescue” at 1pm ET
- November 17 – “Recycle Anything Remaining” at 1pm ET
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USDA’s New “Easy Steps to Prevent Food Waste Infographic” for Consumers
Each year, the average American family of four loses $1,500 to uneaten food. USDA offers a range of advice to help Americans reduce food waste, which in turn increases household food budgets and makes nutritious diets more affordable.
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Infographic: Easy Steps to Prevent Food Waste: Download this infographic and share these easy steps to reduce food waste at home.
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PSA Video: USDA Tips to Reduce Food Waste at Home, posted 4/16/2021: In the U.S., more than one-third of all available food goes uneaten through loss or waste. With every meal, you can take steps to save food, save money, and protect the environment. Dr. Jean Buzby, USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison, offers easy steps to help reduce food waste at home
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Missed the last Newsletter or recent Webinar?
Check out the
on the CT DEEP webpage.
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Did You Hear the News....?
The RecycleCT Wizard is expanding with the addition of an APP, launching the APP in mid June. Volunteers from the UCONN Master Composter program are also working to add more search options related to composting!
The RecycleCT.com webpage is getting a facelift, including all new downloadable flyers, brochures and bill inserts. All new materials will have images and photographs and be in both English and Spanish. Will be posted by mid-June!
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Upcoming Events:
MAY
May 20, 2021 - 10:00am ET - Soil Builders: Compost Specifications for Landscape Architects. Register here. Hosted by Composting Association of Vermont.
May 25, 2021 - 2:00pm ET - Achieving Zero Waste with Innovative reuse and Recycling Contracts.
May 25 & May 26, 2021 - 1:30pm ET - Rolling out the Carpet to Recycling & the Circular. Register here. A Two-Part Web Symposium with Carpet Recycling Experts. Hosted by Product Stewardship Institute.
May 25, 2021 - 1:00pm ET - Reducing the Risk of Fires Associated with Lithium Batteries. Register here. Hosted in partnership with NERC, NEWMOA, SWANA, MassRecycle and NRRA.
JUNE
June 8, 2021 - 1:00pm - Environmental Benefits Calculators – How They Work & How They Can Help Register here. Hosted by NERC and NEWMOA.
June 16, 2021 - 1:00pm - Compost: Carbon Sequestration & Climate Change. Register here by June 14, $. Hosted by US Composting Council.
June 17, 2021 TIME - The Spectrum of Approaches to U.S. Packaging EPR: From Reimbursement to Full Responsibility. Register here. Hosted by
June 17, 2021 - 2:00pm ET - Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Your Program webinar. Register here. Hosted by CURC.
Save the Date: October 12 - 13, 2021 - 1:00pm - 5:00pm ET. NERC's Fall '21 Conference.
Save the Date: October 19-21, 2021 - Decon + Reuse 2021, Build Reuse biennial conference. More information here.
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The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request an accommodation contact us at (860) 418-5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov. |
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CT DEEP | Source Reduction & Recycling Group | 860-424-4193 | www.ct.gov/deep/recycle |
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