The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced the winners of its 2018 Recycling Development and Implementation Grants, known as the “902 Recycling Grants.” The biannual grant supports capital improvement projects within municipal recycling programs and is an essential component of recycling finance throughout the state. The City of Reading was awarded the maximum grant amount of $350,000.
In September 2018, the City of Reading launched a pilot program giving new recycling carts to about 3,700 households in the Oakbrook, Millmont, Wyomissing Park, Riverside, Glenside, Northmont, and other neighborhoods where recycling is collected on Monday. The pilot provided two different sizes of recycling carts outfitted with attached lids, wheels, and barcodes.
The added size and attached lids help reduce litter and keep the recycling protected from the weather, while barcoding helps the City better track its inventory. Additionally, increased recycling helps offset trash, which is far more expensive to haul away, and provides additional opportunities for funding from the state. The City is currently evaluating the pilot, collecting feedback from residents, and planning the future of this recycling program.
The City is excited to receive this grant award, which will help fund the purchasing of new recycling containers for residents throughout the City. The grant award was announced on October 12, 2018 and a contract with the state will likely be executed by the end of the year. The City will then have up to two years to spend the money.
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