Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder today announced the awarding of $1,140,883 in grants for waste reduction and recycling projects. The grants are available through the Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant Fund. This fund is generated by a fee on solid waste disposed of in landfills (disposal fee), an annual retail business sales fee (business fee), and a fee assessed on the sale of new tires for motor vehicles (tire fee). Tire fee grants totaling $1.15 million for projects related to tire recycling were previously announced in June.

Examples of 2011 grant recipients include:
 

• Keep Kimball Beautiful was awarded $16,508 to maintain and increase the recycling programs throughout Kimball County. They will implement ongoing education and communication on an individual level about recycling and waste reduction within the county, especially with the youth of the area. Their mission is "Engaging all age groups to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.”
• The City of Wahoo was awarded $15,841 to purchase two compartmentalized recycling trailers. Wahoo is partnering with Region V Developmental Services, who collects and sorts the recycled material. This provides job opportunities for developmentally challenged residents in Wahoo. Firstar Fiber takes the material and markets it to brokers and/or end users.
• The City of South Sioux City was awarded $5,474 for a feasibility study to determine the viability of using wood biomass as a fuel source in a municipal building. Other fuel sources are becoming increasingly expensive and the use of wood as a fuel source could prove to be an economical alternative. The city has an estimated 40 tons of wood waste each year to dispose of as a result of tree removal, storm damage, and tree and brush maintenance, and which could all possibly be used as fuel. The city will be partnering with the Nebraska Forest Service in this study.

Below is a list of all 2011 grants awarded in the business fee and disposal fee categories:

BUSINESS FEE - $349,395 was awarded to 14 individuals and public, private, or non-profit organizations.
 

Creighton University, Omaha, $24,722 to purchase a brush chipper for campus trees and shrub waste.
G7 Innovations, Inc., Omaha, $61,302 for waste collection events in 10 communities around Nebraska. Materials include computers, peripherals, appliances and batteries.
Grand Island Area Clean Community System, Grand Island, $88,478 for 11 household hazardous waste collection events at Albion, Atkinson, Aurora, Bassett, David City, Central City, Grand Island, O'Neill, Seward, Wahoo and York.
Joslyn Castle Institute for Sustainable Communities, Lincoln, $68,443 for Eco Products & Service Center (Eco Stores) remodel and expansion.
Keep Fremont Beautiful, Fremont, $14,188 for personnel and operating costs to run Keep Fremont Beautiful, Inc.
Keep Kimball Beautiful, Kimball, $16,508 for operational costs for recycling center, public education and to increase material accepted.
Lincoln Children's Zoo, Lincoln, $1,472 to increase recycling for staff and volunteers at Lincoln Children's Zoo by purchasing recycling containers and compost boxes.
Lincoln Public Schools Foundation, Lincoln, $12,666 to continue and expand recycling education and recycling practices of the LPS schools, including personnel costs for LPS Recycling Coordinator.
Nebraska Center for Sustainable Construction, Lincoln, $9,019 to purchase a one-and-a-half -ton truck and three box trailers used to haul salvageable material.
Nebraska Loess Hills Resource Conservation & Development, Lyons, $1,805 to hold one electronics waste collection event at Washington County Fairgrounds. Items to be collected include computers, monitors, TV's, and microwaves.
Nebraska Loess Hills Resource Conservation & Development, Lyons, $14,527 to hold household hazardous waste collections in three communities located in the Nebraska Loess Hills RC&D area.
Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development, Columbus, $6,670 to hold waste collection events in three communities of the Northeast NE RC&D.
PrairieLand Resource Conservation & Development Council, Madison, $6,600.00 to hold one electronics waste collection event in the PrairieLand RC&D Council area.
WasteCap Nebraska, Lincoln, $22,995 to continue the Green Ambassadors Program.

DISPOSAL FEE - $791,488 was awarded to 13 counties, municipalities, and agencies. Funding is available to political subdivisions only.
 

City of Kearney, $84,860 for the purchase of equipment to be used at the Kearney compost facility to screen yard waste.
City of Lincoln Public Works & Utilities, $22,063 for a project to expand and strengthen the current educational recycling efforts in Lincoln and Lancaster County.
City of Omaha, $253,000 for operating costs for Under-the-Sink Permanent Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
City of Ravenna, Ravenna, $11,250 for the purchase of a compartmentalized recycling trailer for citizens of Ravenna.
City of South Sioux City, $5,474 for funds to complete a wood biomass heating feasibility study to determine the economic viability of installing a wood biomass heating system in a municipal building.
City of Wahoo, Wahoo, $15,841 for the purchase of two 10-bin recycling trailers, and for the purchase of an additional ten bins.
Dakota County Roads Department (Dakota City), $24,187 for the purchase of a brush chipper, which will be shared with the communities of Homer, Jackson, Hubbard and Dakota City.
Lexington Area Solid Waste Agency (Lexington), $22,640 for seven household hazardous and electronics waste collection events in the LASWA area.
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, $109,652 to hold five to eight household hazardous waste collection events, two small business waste collection events and two appointment-only collection days. LLCHD will also work with community partners to decrease toxic waste and its risks through education. Activities include a "Hazardous-Free Home Handbook" expanded for statewide use.
Nebraska City Utilities, $48,740 for the purchase of a brush chipper, and personnel and operating costs to operate the chipper.
Omaha Public Power District, $90,000 to continue refrigerator recycling program in the OPPD service area.
Red Willow County (McCook) $97,771 to hold 46 household hazardous waste collection events in Nebraska. Also includes funding of the operations of the Red Willow County household hazardous waste facility.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Landscape Services), $6,010 for an “Education through Participation” program, designed to educate the University community and local residents about sustainable practices such as recycling.