Biden-Harris Administration Invests Over $2.1 Million in Hawaii Recycling Infrastructure Through Investing in America Agenda
EPA grants funded in part by largest recycling investment in 30 years under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $2,195,134 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expand recycling infrastructure and waste management systems across Hawai’i.
EPA has selected 25 communities nationwide to receive grants totaling more than $73 million under the newly created Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling funding opportunity. In addition, the agency is making available approximately $32 million for states and territories to improve solid waste management planning, data collection and implementation of plans. The grants support the implementation of EPA’s National Recycling Strategy to build an economy devoted to keeping materials, products, and services in circulation for as long as possible – what’s known as a “circular economy.”
“These innovative local government, territory and state grants will solve zero waste challenges across the Pacific Southwest,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "EPA is proud to support these groundbreaking efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, advance environmental justice and aid the transition to a circular economy that will bring benefits for decades to come."
“Advancing sustainable waste management and reducing the use of single-use plastics will reduce the burden of waste on our environment and advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to building healthy communities,” said Senator Mazie Hirono. “This funding, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will bolster Hawaii’s sustainability efforts and help promote a cleaner future.”
“Our 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has already sent more than a billion dollars to Hawai’i for key infrastructure projects, will now add more than $670,000 to assist our state in achieving our goal to reuse or recycle 70% of our waste by the year 2030,” said Congressman Ed Case. “The benefits of such investments in recycling are many, but are especially important for an island environment with little room for landfills and other means of waste disposal.”
“The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) will utilize the awarded SWIFR grant to develop a waste characterization study to support the State’s activities that advance post-consumer materials management. This grant will enable DOH to create a statewide study, including conducting data collection activities in landfills on the islands of Moloka‘i and Lana‘i and at other underserved locations. DOH appreciates its partnership with the U.S. EPA and the federal funds awarded that help achieve DOH’s environmental and public health goals,” said Hawai’i DOH Deputy Director of Environmental Health Kathleen Ho.
"We're deeply grateful for the EPA's decision to support our proposal to establish a groundbreaking city-wide reusable foodware and refillable bottle system in Hilo,” said Hawai’i County Mayor Mitch Roth. “This initiative is all about building the necessary infrastructure for such a system, one that has been thoughtfully developed by our community and informed by expert advice. Our collective efforts are paving the way for a greener and more resilient Hawaiʻi Island, where every citizen actively contributes to the preservation of our environment and sustainability of our island home."
Grants in Hawai’i are:
Hawai’i County Department of Environmental Management ($1,522,130): A project team will design and implement a city-scale reusable foodware and refillable bottle system in Hilo, designed by and for the whole community. Funding will be used for reuse collection bins, transport vehicles and crates and totes, a dishwashing machine, reuse infrastructure installation, QR code scanners, and a technology platform to support asset tracking and management.
Hawai’i Department of Health ($673,004): Hawai’i DOH will develop a statewide waste characterization study with a contractor to develop a methodology and a quality assurance plan, observe and measure solid waste disposal streams in all four major counties, and conduct outreach on the findings to inform state and local waste reduction priorities.
President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.
EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program is also advancing President's Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. Approximately $56 million out of the $73 million – or 76% - of the total funding for communities will go toward projects that benefit disadvantaged communities.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Communities
The recycling grants for communities will support improvements to waste management systems across the country and will range from $500,000 to $4 million per grant. Selected projects include purchasing new fleets of recycling collection vehicles and bins to provide curbside recycling services for communities currently lacking access; upgrades to material recovery facilities to reduce contamination; enhancements to composting and organics programs and infrastructure, and construction of various types of facilities that improve recycling, composting, and reuse infrastructure for materials such as plastics and food waste.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for States and Territories
The recycling grants for states and territories will provide funding to all 56 states, territories, and the District of Columbia via grants ranging from $360,000 to $750,000; with the highest grant amounts supporting those states and territories that need it the most. These grants represent important steps toward achieving the EPA’s National Recycling Goal and Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal. Funded activities include improving post-consumer materials management programs through developing or updating solid waste management plans and strengthening data collection efforts.
Additional Background
Today’s announcement for states, territories, and communities is the first round of funding from this new grant program. In the coming months, EPA will announce the selected recipients of the recycling grants for Tribes and intertribal consortia, as well as the recipients of EPA’s new Recycling Education and Outreach grant program.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $275 million total from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2026 for grants authorized under the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act - the largest investment in recycling in 30 years. The recycling grants are supplemented with additional funding provided through EPA’s annual appropriations. EPA has selected these entities to receive funding for recycling infrastructure projects and anticipates making all the awards announced today once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
For details about the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program selectees and other Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-related funding opportunities, visit the EPA recycling grants webpage.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
###