$1.3 Million Awarded to Recycling, Litter Programs
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Jim Macy has announced the awarding of $1,306,370 in 53 grants for litter cleanup, recycling, and public education programs and activities. Funds for the Litter Reduction and Recycling Grant Program are generated from a fee charged to certain manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of products that commonly contribute to litter. The program has been providing grants annually since 1979. The Department received nearly $3.6 million in eligible grant requests; an increase of over $900,000 from last year.
“There were many outstanding applications submitted to NDEQ this year,” Macy said. “The grant awards will support many important local efforts to recycle and reduce litter across the state.”
Below is a summary of the three grant categories, and grant awards in each category. Following that summary is a table that lists all projects by city, and provides more details regarding the purpose of each grant.
Recycling Grant Awards
The recycling programs provide an alternative to the disposal of solid waste in Nebraska’s landfills. The programs recycle more than just aluminum, paper, glass, and plastic. Materials such as electronic computer components, paint, aerosol cans, fertilizer, pesticides, pharmaceutical items and household hazardous waste are collected and either reprocessed to be used again or are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Recycling efforts that promote the purchase of recycled content products continue to receive priority for funding. NDEQ awarded 20 grants in the recycling category, totaling $603,838.
Cleanup Grant Awards
Cleanup grants provide assistance for programs involving Nebraska residents of all ages who pick up litter and debris along Nebraska's highways, waterways, recreation lands, urban areas, and other public use areas within the state. Not only are the public areas improved through the removal of litter and debris, but also much of the material collected during the cleanups is recycled. The recycling proceeds are often used to benefit the respective programs. NDEQ awarded 12 grants in the cleanup category, totaling $50,569.
Public Education Awards
The Public Education programs educate citizens in the areas of litter reduction, cleanup, and recycling through a variety of individual and community activities. Priority is given to programs that promote markets for recycled materials or purchasing products made from recycled materials. NDEQ awarded 21 grants in the public education category, totaling $651,963.
Below is a table that lists grantees by city, and provides descriptions of the projects.
2018 Litter Reduction and Recycling Grants, By City
City | Organization | Program Category | Amount Awarded | Project Description |
Alliance | Keep Alliance Beautiful | Public Education | $38,214 | Public education to schools and residents in Box Butte County on litter prevention, and to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Partner with business and community leaders. |
Alliance | Keep Alliance Beautiful | Recycling | $33,050 | Funds to operate the Recycling Center and service numerous recycling trailers in Alliance and Hemingford. Provide recycling pickup for seniors and those with mobility issues. |
Beatrice | Keep Beatrice Beautiful, Inc. | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 100 miles and 60 acres in Gage County. |
Beatrice | Keep Beatrice Beautiful, Inc. | Public Education | $28,873 | Public education to encourage recycling and the importance of purchasing recycled content products. Presentations at schools and community events. |
Burwell | Loup Basin RC & D/Keep Loup Basin Beautiful | Public Education | $32,785 | Public education on litter prevention, waste reduction, and recycling in a 13-county area through presentations to youth and adults. |
Chadron | Keep Chadron Beautiful | Cleanup | $5,060 | Clean up 97 miles in Dawes County. |
Chadron | Keep Chadron Beautiful | Public Education | $36,766 | Public education to teach litter reduction and recycling techniques; promote and conduct litter-free events. |
Chadron | Keep Chadron Beautiful | Recycling | $4,200 | Hold a one-day electronics waste collection serving a 50-mile radius from Chadron, including Chadron St. College and local schools. |
Chadron | City of Chadron | Recycling | $75,000 | Funds to crush 9,000 tons of concrete rubble. Aggregate to be used for road base on streets, and maintenance on gravel roads and alleys. |
Columbus | Keep Columbus Beautiful | Public Education | $21,039 | Public education through schools and community groups to increase recycling and reduce litter. Partner with local companies and the City to develop recycling and provide programs for hard-to-recycle materials. |
Crofton | City of Crofton | Cleanup | $793 | Clean up 9 miles and 34 acres around Crofton. |
Fremont | Keep Fremont Beautiful | Public Education | $42,783 | Public education for kindergarten to college students on litter reduction and recycling, and to teach proper waste disposal practices. |
Grand Island | Grand Island Area Clean Community System | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 90 miles and 100 acres in Hall County. |
Grand Island | Grand Island Area Clean Community System | Public Education | $38,700 | Public education on litter reduction, recycling, and reuse to youth, adults, businesses, and schools. Educate about home chemicals and daily regional household hazardous waste collection. |
Imperial | City of Imperial | Recycling | $1,425 | Funds toward a 10,000-lb. electronics waste collection event for Imperial. |
Imperial | City of Imperial | Recycling | $62,500 | Funds toward a horizontal baler for the recycling center; current baler is reaching the end of its life. |
Kimball | Keep Kimball Beautiful | Public Education | $16,241 | Public education, including social media, to youth and adults to provide environmental education, litter prevention, recycling, and waste management. |
Kimball | Keep Kimball Beautiful | Recycling | $40,700 | Funds to operate the Kimball Recycle Center so that recyclable materials are shipped to markets vs. the landfill. Education on litter prevention and proper waste management. |
Lexington | Keep Lexington Beautiful | Public Education | $20,353 | Public education for elementary/middle school students from 40 counties on recycling. New program for recycling for elderly. |
Lexington | Keep Lexington Beautiful | Recycling | $3,595 | Funds to hold a paper shred day for Lexington residents; shredded paper will be baled and recycled. |
Lincoln | Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Dept. | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 90 miles and 150 acres in Lancaster County, using low-risk Community Corrections Center inmates under supervision of the Lancaster County Corrections staff. |
Lincoln | Lincoln Children's Museum | Public Education | $4,530 | Funds for the Happy HallowGreen event; incorporate messaging on recycling, reducing, and reusing on reusable trick-or-treat bags for participants. |
Lincoln | Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Dept. | Public Education | $68,482 | Public education through litter cleanup and prevention projects. Work to reduce illegal dumping incidents. |
Lincoln | Nebraska Recycling Council | Recycling | $50,751 | Funding to assist businesses, recycling service providers, and communities to support waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Technical assistance and zero-waste guidance. |
Lincoln | City of Lincoln, Solid Waste Management Div. | Recycling | $30,080 | Purchase five roll-off boxes to collect glass to accommodate a 32% increase in food/beverage containers collected in Lincoln in 2017 over 2016. |
Louisville | Keep Cass County Beautiful | Cleanup | $1,600 | Clean up 16 miles and 80 acres in Cass County. |
Louisville | Keep Cass County Beautiful | Public Education | $36,041 | Public education to Cass County residents and schools for litter prevention and proper waste management. Offer 19 diverse environmental programs; consultant to high schools with "Go Green" and litter-free initiatives. |
Lyons | City of Lyons | Recycling | $10,150 | Funds toward a forklift for the city's recycling center to replace the current forklift that is 37 years old. |
Mead | Integrated Recycling LLC | Recycling | $35,495 | Funds toward a food depackager/perforator to process 2,000 lbs./hour of full, outdated beverage cans and bottles. Liquid will be taken to local ethanol plant to produce ethanol and methane gas to operate boilers used in the ethanol process. |
Nebraska City | City of Nebraska City | Public Education | $13,072 | Public education for a student and adult campaign on the harmful effects of litter, waste reduction tips (including food waste), and the importance of recycling. |
Nebraska City | Nebraska City Utilities | Recycling | $37,342 | Funds toward a wood chipper to reduce wood being dumped at burn sites and landfills. Wood chips will be free to the public and communities. |
Norfolk | Lower Elkhorn RC & D | Public Education | $375 | Purchase recycling bins for K-4th grade classrooms in a 15-county area who participate in a "Reduce, Recycle, & Beyond!" project. |
Norfolk | Keep Norfolk Beautiful | Public Education | $21,492 | Public education to teach litter prevention, good recycling practices, and proper waste handling. Participate in litter-free events. |
Norfolk | GreenFiber LLC | Recycling | $22,180 | Partner with Firstar Fiber to create a training/coaching program to educate two rural communities on sustainable recycling. |
North Platte | Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 120 roadside miles in Lincoln County. |
North Platte | Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful | Public Education | $46,086 | Public education to schools and community to encourage litter-free environment and waste reduction. |
North Platte | Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful | Recycling | $17,000 | Reduce waste through curbside, drop-off, school and business recycling, and use of household hazardous waste collection sites. |
Ogallala | Keep Keith County Beautiful | Cleanup | $3,000 | Clean up 50 miles and 50 acres in Keith County, and parts of Deuel, Arthur, and Perkins counties. |
Ogallala | Keep Keith County Beautiful | Public Education | $50,282 | Public education to eliminate litter and increase recycling; working with businesses, schools, and residents in Keith County, including Lake McConaughy. Teach the effects of litter and benefits of recycling. |
Ogallala | Keep Keith County Beautiful | Recycling | $10,201 | Continue litter reduction and recycling of materials collected at 17 container locations at Lake McConaughy; 1.5 million visitors in 2016. |
Ogallala | Western Resources Group | Recycling | $54,510 | Assistance to manufacture 100% recycled animal bedding and garden mulch from shredded cardboard and newsprint. |
Omaha | Keep Omaha Beautiful | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 10 miles and participate in over 150 cleanup events in Omaha with more than 2,000 volunteers. |
Omaha | Keep Omaha Beautiful | Public Education | $58,996 | Public education on litter prevention, waste reduction, and recycling through community- and school-based programs. |
Omaha | Firstar Fiber Corporation | Recycling | $27,639 | Partner with GreenFiber to create a training/coaching program to educate two rural communities on sustainable recycling. Develop a video and materials. |
Omaha | Angels on Wheels | Recycling | $53,844 | Funds to hold 15 electronic waste collection events in the Omaha area. |
Schuyler | Keep Schuyler Beautiful | Recycling | $22,576 | Funds to operate the Colfax County Recycling Center, serving Colfax County and part of Butler County. |
Scottsbluff | Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful | Cleanup | $5,466 | Clean up 100 roadside miles in Scotts Bluff County through the Adopt-A-Spot mini-grant program. |
Scottsbluff | Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful | Public Education | $20,278 | Public education to meet litter prevention and recycling goals, and teach proper disposal of unwanted materials. |
Sidney | Keep Sidney Beautiful | Public Education | $21,606 | Public education on recycling for the community. Partner with existing and new businesses; organize and participate in community events. |
South Sioux City | Keep Northeast Nebraska Beautiful | Public Education | $34,969 | Public education to businesses, students, and residents to reduce waste and eliminate litter in an 11-county area. |
Steinauer | Steinauer Community Club | Cleanup | $650 | Clean up 10 miles around the Village of Steinauer. |
Tekamah | Papio Missouri River NRD | Recycling | $11,600 | Hold four electronic waste collections in Washington, Burt, Thurston, and Dakota counties; expect to receive 65,000 lbs. of electronic waste. |
Wakefield | Education Service Unit #1 | Cleanup | $4,000 | Clean up 20 miles and 300 acres in six counties; working with K-12 students with disabilities from 25 school districts. |
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