STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
Phil Bryant, GOVERNOR
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Trudy D. Fisher, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Robbie Wilbur
June 20, 2013 601/961-5277
MDEQ Announces Availability of $1 Million for Cooperative Recycling Grants
(Jackson, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) announced Thursday the availability of $1 million in grants for
local governments to create, improve, or expand cooperative recycling
programs. Grants of up to $400,000 will be available to fund regional
recycling cooperative projects conducted by municipalities, counties,
regional or local solid waste management authorities, local government
recycling cooperatives, local government solid waste districts, or other
joint local government organizations for the collection, processing, and
marketing of recyclables.
"We applaud the forward thinking of our Legislature in authorizing this
initiative which allows grants for local governments to work together
through co-ops to create or add to recycling programs, especially in areas
of our state where recycling programs may not be accessible. It is
estimated that Mississippians spend about $70 million to dispose of
recyclables worth an estimated $200 million—we are missing an economic
opportunity and unnecessarily placing items in landfills across our state.
We expect the new co-ops to move Mississippi another step forward in
recycling efforts while also providing economic opportunities, said Trudy
Fisher, MDEQ Executive Director.
A study by the Southeast Recycling Development Council in 2010 of 11
southern states found that the more than 200 companies that use recycled
materials in their products in turn equaled 47,525 jobs and $29.5 billion
in total sales. Out of the 11 states, Mississippi ranked 11th in number of
employees and 8th in annual sales dollars. This affirms MDEQ's position of
recycling as a potential underutilized economic engine.
The deadline for applications is December 6, 2013, and more information and
grant application forms can be found at http://bit.ly/16FUAwV.
# # #
Mr. Robbie Wilbur
Communications Director
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Post Office Box 2261
Jackson, Mississippi 39225
601/961-5277
601/421-5699 (c)
601/961-5715 (f)
rwilbur@deq.state.ms.us
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