Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
10/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/25/2024 12:36
DEEP Applauds State Bond Commission Approval of $10M to Support Sustainable Waste Reduction Efforts By Municipalities
Press Releases
10/25/2024
DEEP Applauds State Bond Commission Approval of $10M to Support Sustainable Waste Reduction Efforts By Municipalities
(HARTFORD)-The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) applauds the State Bond Commission's approval earlier this week of $10 million in funds to support sustainable waste reduction efforts by municipalities.
Today's funding builds on $10 million Gov. Lamont and the General Assembly previously provided to create DEEP's Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) grant program, which supports the development of food scrap collection and other diversion programs in Connecticut municipalities. Fifteen municipalities and three regional organizations received SMM grants under the first round in 2022 (DEEP Announces Nearly 5 Million in Sustainable Materials Management Grant Awards (ct.gov)) followed by an additional $570,000 to fund pilots in three additional towns and the expansion of another pilot (DEEP Announces 570000 in Additional SMM Grants to Help Towns Reduce Waste and Save on Disposal Costs (ct.gov)). Many towns saw promising results from their pilot programs, and DEEP provided an additional $2.19 million to municipalities to help them continue and expand their pilot programs.
The SMM pilot programs were composed of curbside modified Save-as-You-Throw programs (inclusive of some programs offering free bags) combined with food scraps diversion, as well as transfer station-based programs. Presently, seven municipalities have either completed or started the process of converting their pilot programs to permanent programs. Based upon the positive outcomes of the pilot programs and the attention they have generated, several other municipalities that did not participate in the initial DEEP-funded SMM program are moving forward with similar programs of their own accord.
With the $10 million announced this week, DEEP looks forward to continuing to support municipalities seeking to implement food scrap diversion programs and other waste reduction efforts. Today's funding will also enable DEEP to complete studies and analysis to update statewide solid waste data.
"I want to thank Gov. Lamont, the State Bond Commission, and the General Assembly for continuing to invest in these proven strategies to help our municipalities address the solid waste disposal crisis in our state and rising disposal costs," DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. "The SMM grant pilots have yielded some amazing results for participating municipalities thus far, including a more than 10% decrease in trash going to landfills and incinerators, a more than 25% increase in recycling rates, and over 2.5 million pounds of food scraps collected and diverted out of the waste stream."
The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities said, "CCM thanks Governor Lamont and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for their continued commitment to modernizing our waste management systems in the state. Investing $10 million in bond funding for waste reduction efforts is vital for Connecticut's environmental sustainability. This funding will bolster innovative recycling solutions and empower communities to effectively manage waste, creating a cleaner and healthier future for all residents."
The Connecticut Council of Small Towns said,"We appreciate the Governor and DEEP funding waste reduction efforts that help bring costs down for Connecticut's towns and cities. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the administration as they work to implement this funding."
The State Bond Commission's approval of SMM funding builds on on-going investments made by the state to support municipalities as they work towards the goal of improving diversion of municipal solid waste and regaining self-sufficiency within Connecticut's borders. In September, DEEP announced the availability of $15 million through the Materials Management Infrastructure (MMI) grant program. The MMI grant program is designed to provide municipalities and regional entities with grant funds to develop small- to medium-scale waste management infrastructure to support waste reduction and diversion.
DEEP also recently awarded $2 million in planning grants to five Councils of Government to support these regional entities interested in forming regional waste authorities. These regional waste authorities will help alleviate the state's waste disposal crisis by creating the framework and structure needed to develop and implement waste management strategies on the regional level.
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