$1.3 Million Awarded to Recycling, Litter Programs
Department of Environment and Energy
News Release
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
$1.3 Million Awarded to Recycling, Litter Programs
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Jim Macy has announced the awarding of $1.3 million in 49 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 over $2.7 million in eligible grant requests for funding.
“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 17 grants in the recycling category, totaling $423,523.
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 11 grants in the cleanup category, totaling $49,716.
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. NDEQ awarded 21 grants in the public education category, totaling $826,761.
Below is a table that lists grantees by city, and provides descriptions of the projects.
| City | Organization | Program Category | Amount Awarded | Project Description |
| Alliance | Keep Alliance Beautiful | Public Education | $62,404 | Provide litter/waste reduction and recycling education for elementary and middle schools in Box Butte County. |
| Alliance | Keep Alliance Beautiful | Recycling | $37,922 | Funds to operate the recycling center in Alliance serving Box Butte County and surrounding area. |
| Beatrice | Keep Beatrice Beautiful | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 100 roadside miles and 60 acres in Gage County. |
| Beatrice | Keep Beatrice Beautiful | Public Education | $40,805 | Partner with local government and organizations to educate on what and where to recycle, and the importance of buying recycled content products. Promote "Use Less Stuff" in schools. Coordinate litter-free events. |
| Burwell | Loup Basin RC & D/ Keep Loup Basin Beautiful | Public Education | $46,706 | Public education program for youth and adults in central and north central Nebraska on recycling, litter prevention, and proper waste disposal. |
| Chadron | Keep Chadron Beautiful | Cleanup | $5,060 | Clean up 100 roadside miles in Dawes County through a mini-grant program. |
| Chadron | Keep Chadron Beautiful | Public Education | $49,773 | Public education to establish new attitudes and behaviors toward litter reduction and recycling. Present information to public and home schools, local clubs, and civic organizations. |
| Chadron | Keep Chadron Beautiful | Recycling | $4,539 | Hold a one-day electronic recycling event for Chadron residents. An estimated 15,000 lbs. of electronic waste will be collected. |
| Columbus | Keep Columbus Beautiful | Public Education | $33,543 | Provide public education for increasing recycling and to raise awareness for litter prevention in Columbus and Platte County. |
| Crofton | City of Crofton | Cleanup | $790 | Clean up 9 roadside miles and 34 acres in Crofton. |
| Fremont | Keep Fremont Beautiful | Public Education | $58,467 | Public education on proper waste handling practices. Sponsor material collection events and a local campaign to reduce litter and increase recycling. Respond to population/demographic changes that may occur with construction of new area poultry plant. |
| Grand Island | Grand Island Area Clean Community System | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 95 roadside miles and 75 acres in Hall, Hamilton, and Merrick counties through a mini-grant program. |
| Grand Island | Grand Island Area Clean Community System | Public Education | $38,728 | Provide education to schools and at public events on how to recycle, reuse/repurpose. Education on proper disposal and alternatives to home chemicals. Provide recycling containers at local events. |
| Grand Island | Literacy Council of Grand Island, Inc | Public Education | $26,850 | Implement an environmental literacy project with 600 English learning students and the greater community. Coordinate an Earth Day Festival and conduct a public education campaign about composting and recycling. |
| Hebron | Trailblazer Resource Conservation and Development | Recycling | $12,481 | Hold four household hazardous waste collections for Clay, Thayer, Nuckolls, Webster, Franklin, Fillmore, and Harlan County residents. |
| Kimball | Keep Kimball Beautiful | Public Education | $21,360 | Provide environmental education for Kimball and the surrounding area on litter prevention and waste management. Work with Kimball Public Schools to educate on waste diversion and how landfill works. |
| Kimball | Keep Kimball Beautiful | Recycling | $27,689 | Funds to operate the Kimball Recycling Center, the only recycling option for households within a 50-mile radius. Have diverted 250 tons of material from the landfill in the past two years. |
| Lexington | Keep Lexington Beautiful | Recycling | $2,972 | Purchase four replacement bins for Lexington's recycling trailers and perform recycling trailer maintenance. |
| Lexington | Keep Lexington Beautiful | Public Education | $15,703 | Provide recycling and litter education to one middle and four elementary schools, two nursing homes, and two assisted living facilities. Provide recycling trailers for local community events. |
| Lincoln | Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 100 roadside miles and 100 acres in Lancaster County. Some cleanup will be done by Lancaster Co. Corrections inmates; other projects include mini-grants done through high school litter projects. |
| Lincoln | Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department | Public Education | $75,021 | Education program to promote litter reduction and an increase in recycling. Purchase nine ashtray receptacles. |
| Lincoln | Nebraska Recycling Council | Recycling | $43,595 | Provide waste reduction, reuse, and recycling programs for communities, recyclers, processors, and individuals across Nebraska. Provide zero waste training and consultation, offer live educational webinars on current topics, and maintain the Nebraska Recycling Guide. |
| Lincoln | City of Lincoln | Recycling | $77,353 | Purchase thirteen food and beverage replacement recycling containers for Lincoln and the surrounding area. |
| Lincoln | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Public Education | $7,741 | Increase recycling education at UNL. Purchase 30 recycling containers for outdoor events. Volunteers will hand out recycling bags to tailgaters and return to pick up the bags to put in recycling containers. |
| Louisville | Keep Cass Co Beautiful | Cleanup | $1,600 | Clean up 16 roadside miles and 80 acres in Cass County through a mini-grant program. |
| Louisville | Keep Cass Co Beautiful | Public Education | $40,710 | Promote waste reduction, the importance of litter prevention and of reducing, reusing, repurposing, and recycling in Cass County. Will provide recycling bins and cigarette receptacles at local community events. |
| Nebraska City | Keep Nebraska City Beautiful | Public Education | $22,019 | Educational program for students and adults on the harmful effect of litter in the community. Provide waste reduction tips, including food waste and the importance of recycling. |
| Norfolk | Keep Norfolk Beautiful | Public Education | $17,683 | Public education to promote litter reduction and recycling through school and community presentations. Provide recycling containers at public events and organize litter-free events and cleanups. |
| North Platte | Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up 120 roadside miles in Lincoln County through a mini-grant program. |
| North Platte | Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful | Public Education | $62,194 | Public education program to encourage waste reduction and a litter-free environment. Help non-recyclers to recycle and seek out environmental stewards and passionate volunteers to make the community a cleaner place with less waste going to the landfill. |
| North Platte | Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful | Recycling | $18,139 | Work on drop-off, residential curbside, school, and business recycling program to reduce waste generated and increase recyclables collected through reputable end-markets. |
| Ogallala | Keep Keith County Beautiful | Cleanup | $2,800 | Clean up 50 roadside miles and 30 acres in Keith County through a mini-grant program. |
| Ogallala | Keep Keith County Beautiful | Public Education | $51,494 | Public education program including source reduction, recycling right, food waste elimination, and sustainable waste management, for residents and visitors in six counties. The mission is to eliminate litter and increase recycling. |
| Ogallala | Keep Keith County Beautiful | Recycling | $6,324 | Funds to collect and process materials from 10 recycling containers located around Lake McConaughy during the summer. Over the 2018 Fourth of July weekend, 30 tons of recyclables and 70 tons of trash were collected at the lake, representing a 30% recycling rate. |
| Ogallala | Western Resources Group | Recycling | $43,622 | Maintain and expand recycling programs in Keith County. Make and sell animal bedding made from recycled cardboard and newspaper. 500 tons of cardboard sold yearly. |
| Omaha | Keep Omaha Beautiful | Cleanup | $6,000 | Clean up five roadside miles and assist in 475 cleanup events and programs. |
| Omaha | Keep Omaha Beautiful | Public Education | $73,344 | Environmental education on litter prevention, waste reduction, and recycling. Conduct activities at local schools and events. Mark storm drains with "No Dumping" decals. Coordinate a "Recycle Right" campaign. |
| Omaha | Angels on Wheels, Inc dba Cross Training Center | Recycling | $48,597 | Hold 10 electronic collection events at Omaha-area schools. Distribute printed classroom curriculum to teachers on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle. |
| Omaha | Habitat for Humanity of Omaha | Recycling | $4,022 | Purchase 7,000 reusable tote bags to give to customers at the two Habitat ReStore outlets in Omaha. The totes will reduce litter produced by one-time plastic bags. The stores in Omaha sell over 300,000 items to 15,000 consumers annually. |
| Rushville | City of Rushville | Recycling | $38,518 | Funds to crush up to 9,000 tons of concrete and use it for maintenance of Rushville's gravel roads, parking lots, and alleys. |
| Schuyler | Keep Schuyler Beautiful | Recycling | $23,884 | Operating expenses for the Colfax County recycling facility. The facility accepts materials from Schuyler and Colfax counties, and parts of Butler, Platte, and Dodge counties. |
| Scottsbluff | Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful | Cleanup | $5,466 | Clean up 100 roadside miles in Scotts Bluff County through an adopt-a-spot mini grant program, including trails along the Scotts Bluff National Monument. |
| Scottsbluff | Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful | Public Education | $28,816 | Provide public education on waste reduction, litter prevention, and recycling. Partner with NRD's, local govt., the Nat'l Park Serv., and schools to promote a litter-free community and reduce materials going to the landfill. Host household hazardous waste and pharmaceutical take-back events. |
| Scottsbluff | Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful | Recycling | $17,871 | Hold a pharmaceutical collection event, Earth Day celebration, "Recycle your Cycles," and Christmas tree recycling to promote proper disposal, recycling, and reuse of unwanted materials. |
| Sidney | Keep Sidney Beautiful | Public Education | $13,983 | Partner with business and community members to provide public education on recycling and waste reduction. The goal is to keep the community clean for prospective businesses to come to the city. |
| South Sioux City | Keep Northeast Nebraska Beautiful | Public Education | $39,417 | Educational programs to students, businesses, and residents of an 11-county area. Stress the importance of litter reduction and participating in recycling and cleanup programs, including the annual Missouri River cleanup for area school children. |
| Tekamah | Papio Missouri River NRD | Recycling | $13,080 | Conduct four electronic waste collections in Washington, Burt, Thurston & Dakota Counties to collect an estimated 65,000 lbs. of e-waste. Over 95% of materials will be recycled or reused. Collection promotions will educate the public about the benefits of recycling and hazards of improper disposal. |
| Wakefield | Education Service Unit #1 | Cleanup | $4,000 | Clean up 20 miles and 300 acres in Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Thurston, and Wayne counties. Work will be done by special education students from 24 school districts. |
| Wood River | Crane Trust | Recycling | $2,915 | Purchase a bottle filling station to reduce disposable plastic and encourage use of reusable bottles. Also buy two hand dryers for the restrooms to reduce paper towel waste. 35,000 visitors during the spring migration now produce four bags of trash/day. |