E-newsletter highlighting grant deadlines, upcoming workshops and available resources for municipal recycling and solid waste leaders.
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DID YOU KNOW... ?
Every Connecticut municipality is required by state statute to designate a local recycling contact. Some towns have an employee whose primary responsibility is to manage the local recycling program; others designate a public official or town commission member to fulfill this role. You can access the list of contacts for all of Connecticut's 169 towns here: Local Municipal Recycling Coordinators (ct.gov)
The challenge is to keep this page accurate.
Is your town information correct?
To ensure this information stays up to date, we rely on you to notify us of any changes.
Please email DEEP.RecyclingProgram@ct.gov and let us know if you have a new wepage address, new recycling recycling coordinator or other information.
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Reuse and Waste Prevention Resources | |
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Urban Green Lab
The Environmental Law Institute compiled a series of resource guides on sustainable food consumption in partnership with Urban Green Lab. The guides include resources on date labels, packaging, meal prep, plate size and storage, with resources categorized by medium and audience for ease of use in households, classrooms and workplaces.
View: https://urbangreenlab.org/food-waste-education-resources/
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Waste Prevention, Recovery and Diversion Resources | |
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Upcoming Webinar:
Making The Honor Role With K-12 Waste Reduction
Wednesday May 29th, 2024
1:00PM E.T
Free
For more information on this event, and to register, please visit:
Webinar - Making the Honor Role with K-12 Waste Reduction ... (buschsystems.com)
With case study presentations from three communities, this webinar will focus on waste reduction at K-12 schools by spotlighting student engagement and education as well as food-related prevention and recovery initiatives. In addition, two of our speakers will share how county governments are working to support and coordinate waste reduction efforts within these schools.
Featured Speakers:
Robert Shaheen, Director of Food and Nutrition Services
New Bedford Public Schools, MA
Erin Wildeboer, Supervisor, Waste Diversion Outreach Programs
Strathcona County Utilities
Samantha Springs LeCain, Environmental Outreach Specialist, Sr
Clark County Green Schools, WA
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School Chemical Safety Trainings—2024, Next webinar 4/18/24
Live Virtual Trainings for Middle & High School Faculty, Administrators, and Facility Operations Managers
All trainings start at 1:30 p.m. ET. The trainings have been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under a Healthy Communities cooperative assistance agreement.
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2024 CRC Webinar Series
What do we recycle in Connecticut?
This series of CRC workshops is intended to help Connecticut’s Recycling Coordinator’s and other professionals to engage with the public for improved outreach and education to enhance Connecticut’s recycling stream.
POSTPONED - CRC will reschedule
Wednesday, May 22nd - Organics
12:00pm-1:30pm on Zoom
Free to members, $30 per session for non-members
Registration
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Glass Recycling Foundation Grants
The Glass Recycling Foundation is a nonprofit foundation formed to provide and raise funds for localized and targeted assistance, demonstration and pilot projects that address gaps in the glass recycling supply chain across the United States.
The Glass Recycling Foundation’s grant program is intended to increase glass recovery and diversion from landfills, and to connect glass generators with end-markets.
The 2024 GRF grant cycle will be open from May 29th until July 10th.
Join us on May 23rd for our virtual Grants Workshop!
Register here: https://lnkd.in/gbRStzTF
Please email info@glassrecyclingfoundation.org for more information.
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EPA Environmental and Climate Justice
Community Change Grants Program
EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights is awarding approximately $2 billion in Community Change Grants to fund community-driven projects that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. Funds for this grant program were made available by the Inflation Reduction Act. Eligible entities include partnerships between two
community-based organizations (CBOs) or a partnership between a CBO and a local
government, Federally-Recognized Tribe, or institute of higher education.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Objectives of the grant program are:
1. Provide resources for community-driven projects to address environmental and climate challenges in communities facing disproportionate and adverse health, pollution, and environmental impacts, and suffering from generations of disinvestment.
2. Invest in strong cross-sectoral collaborations with partners who bring a robust commitment to working with and for communities with environmental and climate justice concerns.
3. Unlock access to additional and more significant resources to advance environmental and climate justice goals from across the federal government and other sources.
4. Empower communities and strengthen their capacity to drive meaningful positive change on the ground for years to come.
5. Strengthen community participation in government decision-making processes that impact them.
Application Deadline: November 21, 2024
Initial Award Selections: March 2024
Read full Notice of Funding Opportunity.
View Frequently Asked Questions about the Community Change Grants program.
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COEEA Mini Grants
Applications for our COEEA Mini-grants initiative are now open and due by 5:00pm on Friday, July 26, 2024. Late applications will not be considered. Must be a member of COEEA (Connecticut Outdoor Environmental Education Association).
Please pay special attention to the updated format and familiarize yourself and your organization with our new application form. We have updated our application and evaluation processes to recognize and reward environmental education initiatives that have a greater impact on communities that need them the most. In this sense, we included a new section in the application document regarding applicants' self-evaluation about their DEIJ actions & initiatives.
Mini-Grant Awards Categories:
INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY
COEEA provides educational organizations and/or community-based groups with $500 to $1,500 funding for local projects or enhancements to existing projects that increase environmental literacy among Connecticut residents, across a broad and diverse audience of youth and/or adult learners.
ADVANCING DEIJ in ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
COEEA also offers additional mini-grant opportunities of up to $2,500 to fund actions that advance diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice (DEIJ) in environmental initiatives, including (but not limited to) recruitment and outreach of more diverse program audiences, stipends for interns with more diverse backgrounds, or projects addressing one or more dimensions of environmental injustice.
For more information, visit https://www.coeea.org/mini-grants
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Reports, Surveys & Other Resources | |
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USTMA CT Tire EPR Program Planning meeting
May 29, 2024
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Register here:
https://ctdeep.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYof-mtrT4jEtdsE8iH2u8jYWoHZX4KrxYj.
The United States Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) is developing a producer-financed and operated tire collection and recycling program required by the passing of HB 6486 in 2023 (now Public Act 23-62). The meeting will be recorded.
Engagement with local governments will be key to program success.
USTMA invites municipalities to help them with program planning.
The meeting will include:
- A brief overview of law and what it means for local governments.
- USTMA Program Planning – anticipated timelines and stakeholder engagement opportunities.
- Introduction to the Local Government Survey.
USTMA looks forward
to engaging with you as we work to develop the first extended producer
responsibility program for tires in the U.S.
Any questions can be directed to tirestewardship@recycle.com
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CT Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) Meeting
In-Person & Zoom
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
9:30am – 11:30am
In-Person
CT DEEP Headquarters
79 Elm Street – McCarthy Auditorium (5th floor) Hartford, CT 06106
If joining us in-person, give yourself time to park or walk from the train
and make your way through the security desk.
Or
Register for online Zoom Here
DRAFT AGENDA?
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CT DEEP's
2022 Disposal & Diversion report
Connecticut Solid Waste Disposal and Recycling Data
The 2022 Solid Waste Disposal & Diversion Report is intended to quantify the management of solid waste materials generated within the state of Connecticut during the 2022 calendar year. The report provides insight into current waste management practices, analyzes trends, and measures progress towards statutory waste reduction targets. This report provides statewide aggregates based primarily on data submitted by permitted solid waste facilities and transfer stations within the state and supplemented by municipal reporting.
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Composting Policy Resource Hub
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance expanded their Composting Policy Resource Hub, with resources to help local governments, policymakers, composters, farmers, community organizations and other interested parties promote policies that support the expansion of food waste composting. View: https://ilsr.org/compost-policy/
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Food Waste Index Report 2024
The U.N. Environment Programme released the Food Waste Index Report 2024, which includes robust national and global estimates of food waste based on expanded data points. The report also provides guidance on food waste measurement and explores solutions for food waste reduction.
Website: https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/food-waste-index-report-2024
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2024 CURC webinar series
- Waste Reduction and Diversion at Large Scale Events, 6/20/2024 at 2 p.m. ET
- Integrating Waste Reduction and Diversion into Academics, 8/15/2024 at 2 p.m.ET
- How to Write a Zero Waste Plan, 10/17/2024 at 2 p.m. ET
- Alternative Framing of Waste Reduction and Diversion, 12/19/2024 at 2 p.m. ET
Find out more, become a speaker for an upcoming session: https://curc3r.org/webinars/
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Upcoming Events:
MAY 2024
May 23, 2024 - 11:00am-12:00pm - CRC "No Frills" Tour: EcoWorks, Inc., North Haven, CT. More information here. Hosted by CT Recyclers Coalition.
May 23, 2024 - 1:00pm - Glass Recycling Foundation Grants Workshop. Hosted by Glass Recycling Foundation. More information here.
May 29, 2024 - 2:00pm - 3:00pm - USTMA CT Tire EPR Program Planning meeting. Hosted by US Tire Manufacturers Association. More information here.
JUNE 2024
June 3 & 4, 2024 - Next Level Recycling NRRA conference & Expo, Concord, New Hampshire. More information here.
June 10, 2024 - 9:00am - 12:30pm - 2024 Spring Forum. RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts. In person at UMass Dartmouth or virtual. More information here.
June 11–13, 2024 - 2024 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit. Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland. More information here.
June 13, 2024 - 3:00pm ET - Food Purchasing & Climate Impacts. Consumption Workgroup webinar, West Coast Climate & Materials Management Forum. More information here.
June 20, 2024 - 2:00pm - Waste Reduction and Diversion at Large Scale Events. Hosted by CURC. More information here.
June 20, 2024 - 2:00pm - Small Format Batteries: Education and Outreach. Hosted by U.S. EPA. More information here.
June 25, 2024 - 9:30am - 11:30am - CT Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) meeting. DEEP Headquarters, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT More information/agenda. Hosted by CT DEEP. Hybrid.
SAVE THE DATE
October 28 - 30, 2024 - NERC Fall 2024 Conference. Syracuse, New York. More information here.
November 13-15, 2024 - Resource Recycling Conference. Louisville, Kentucky. 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. | |
CT DEEP | Source Reduction & Recycling Group | 860-424-4193 | www.ct.gov/deep/recycle | | | | |
