Dive Brief:

• The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is awarding $2.2 million in grants to 35 recipients throughout the state—all waste authorities, county commissions, municipalities, private companies, and nonprofit organizations. 
• The grant program, part of the Rehabilitation Environmental Action Program (REAP), has provided more than $36 million to West Virginia organizations, generated from a $1 assessment fee per ton of solid waste disposed of at state landfills, according to Recycling Today. The money helps to pay for recycling, collections, and other solid waste management expenses including equipment, transportation, education and advertising.
• The five largest grant recipients this month were: 
  • $150,000 to the Greenbrier County Solid Waste Authority
  • $150,000 to the Pocahontas County Solid Waste Authority
  • $149,657 to the Marion County Solid Waste Authority
  • $145,900 to the Putnam County Solid Waste Authority
  • $141,1000 to the Region VIII Solid Waste Authority in Grant County

Dive Insight:

Grant programs and other types of financial assistance are helping businesses and municipalities that struggle to keep up with technology, reduced value of recyclables, transportation, and other costs tied to providing services. However, as West Virginia reaches out to stakeholders, one of its counties is planning to discontinue its recycling bin program due to a steep rate hike.

West Virginia’s DEP continues to dig for funds and spread them out; on its website it lists a number of grants to support efforts from anti-litter initiatives to recycling, in order to try and stay on top of the state’s waste.