NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The City of New Orleans received a grant worth $3,982,000, aimed to expand the city’s residential recycling program, continue recycling outreach and education efforts and develop a Solid Waste Master Plan to guide future waste diversion initiatives.
Funded by the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Communities program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the grant will help make recycling more accessible to all residents and support the city’s goals outlined in its Climate Action Plan.
Currently, a relatively small percentage of recyclable materials are being recycled in the city.
To address this, the funded project has three main goals:
- To purchase and deliver residential recycling carts: The city plans to provide residential recycling carts to all eligible households that haven’t already opted into the service. This aims to ensure universal and equitable access to curbside recycling.
- To create a 10-year Solid Waste Master Plan: The SWMP will develop a comprehensive waste diversion strategy and roadmap for the city. It will include evaluating regional recycling processing infrastructure and capacity, exploring opportunities for organics diversion (including food waste), and examining infrastructure and policy options for waste diversion in multifamily and commercial operations.
- To educate residents: The project will include an education component to inform residents about the benefits of recycling and what can be recycled in their residential carts.
The project is expected to recycle a substantial amount of materials, diverting them from landfills. The Recycling Partnership, a non-governmental organization, is partnering with the City of New Orleans on this project. They are contributing grant funds to purchase additional residential recycling carts and support a community-wide education and outreach campaign.
The funding was part of a larger SWIFR program award by the EPA, which included 25 awards totaling approximately $73 million for communities across the United States.
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