EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration announces more than $9.2M for EPA Region 8 Tribal and community recycling projects as part of America Recycles Day

Grants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law part of the largest recycling investment in 30 years

Contact: EPA Region 8 (Region8Media@epa.gov)

DENVER – Today, in conjunction with America Recycles Day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced nine selectees to receive more than $9.2 million in Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grants for Tribes and Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) grants. Selectees include several Tribal Nations in Montana and North Dakota, nongovernment organizations in Eagle and Denver, Colorado, and the Salt Lake City Corporation. 

Part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and a key pillar of Bidenomics, these grants will expand recycling infrastructure and education for waste management systems across the region. 

“Today, on America Recycles Day, we are putting historic recycling investments into communities, made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Two years ago today, the President signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and with it, unleashed unprecedented funding to enable Tribes and communities to update recycling and composting infrastructure, while also advancing education programs to increase recycling rates and reduce waste.” 

“EPA’s Tribal and community partners have developed comprehensive plans to expand and improve waste management services for their residents and businesses,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “From enhanced recycling and market development to new food waste recovery and composting programs, these investments will make visible differences in communities in Colorado, North Dakota, Montana and Utah.”  

These grants reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackling environmental justice and the climate crisis. As part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, 100% of the funding allocated in EPA’s SWIFR for Tribes grants and 74% of the funding allocated in the REO grants will benefit underserved and overburdened communities.  

Increasing recycling is an important way to reduce pollution because natural resource extraction and processing make up half of all global greenhouse gas emissions that drive the climate crisis. Recycling reduces the need to extract resources such as timber, water and minerals for new products. 

Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia 

EPA Region 8 has announced six selectees to receive more than $6.9 million through the SWIFR program. They include:  

• The Crow Tribe of Indians in Montana has been selected to receive $1,344,896 to expand materials management infrastructure, create efficient collection routes, monitor compliance and enforcement and create secure Transfer Sites for waste. These activities aim to increase recycling collection, increase data collection and provide household-level collection for rural communities.  

• The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe in Montana has been selected to receive $1,023,748 to identify end-markets and expand materials management infrastructure. These objectives will be achieved by expanding existing recycling program, establishing five new recycling collection facilities, purchasing equipment and researching end-markers and community partnerships for previously unrecycled materials. These activities will encourage and expand recycling activities to reduce community blight and potential health and environmental contamination associated with illegal dump sites. 

• The Chippewa Cree Tribe in Montana has been selected to receive $1,075,483 to develop their Solid Waste Management Program by expanding infrastructure, strengthening data collection efforts and focusing on post-consumer materials management. These activities aim to improve recycled commodity markets, increase collection and reduce contamination.  

• The Blackfeet Tribe in Montana has been selected to receive $1,228,437 to develop their circular economy efforts through source reduction on the Blackfeet Reservation and outreach efforts on the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy Reservations. This objective will be achieved by expanding recycling programs, identifying end-markets and market development and developing tire shredding and glass crushing programs. The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, divert solid waste from landfills and host waste management trainings. 

• The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes in Montana have been selected to receive $744,810 to expand materials management infrastructure and identify end-markets. These objectives will be achieved by increasing staffing, establishing a new recycling collection facility, purchasing equipment to expand the recycling programs and researching end-markets and community partnerships for previously unrecycled materials. The project will also establish an additional plastic recycling center and increase the capacity for cardboard recycling. These actions will encourage and expand recycling activities and reduce blight and contamination associated with illegal dump sites. 

• The Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota has been selected to receive $1.5 million to improve waste collection, recycling, transport and disposal programs. This objective will be achieved by acquiring materials management infrastructure equipment, hiring staff and identifying new recycling opportunities. The project aims to address waste minimization, increase recycling activities and mitigate climate change impacts. 

To learn more about the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia funding, please visit: EPA’s Recipients and Selectees webpage.  

Recycling Education and Outreach Grants 

EPA has announced three selectees to receive nearly $2.3 million in Recycling Education and Outreach grants. They include:  

• We Don’t Waste of Denver, Colorado, has been selected to receive $809,665 to reduce food waste and methane emissions through a multifaceted approach including education resources and workshops for schools, consumers and businesses and social media campaigns and engagement opportunities for community members. All activities will support the prevention, reduction and diversion of food, and responsible composting and recycling. 

• Walking Mountains in Eagle County, Colorado, has been selected to receive $568,832 to amplify current recycling programs ensuring everyone in Eagle County understands where, why and how to recycle and has equitable access to do so. As Eagle County’s recycling efforts continue to grow, recycling outreach and education efforts in disadvantaged communities are a priority.  

• The Salt Lake City Corporation in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been selected to receive $954,687 to promote the role of reuse, reduce and recycle (R3) to achieve zero waste in the city by 2040. Methods include meaningful environmental justice engagement to inform a communication campaign supported by outreach and education activities, a Recycling Ambassador program and community recycling collection events for hard to recycle items, electronic waste and household hazardous waste. 

To learn more about the Recycling Education and Outreach funding, please visit: EPA’s Recipients and Selectees webpage. 

America Recycles Day  

Today marks both the 29th America Recycles Day, the second anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the second anniversary of EPA’s National Recycling Strategy. The National Recycling Strategy was the first in a series of EPA strategies devoted to building a circular economy – one that reduces material use, redesigns materials, products and services to be less resource intensive and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products.  

Visit EPA’s Recycling website to learn ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.