More than $34,000 was awarded this month to six local businesses that plan to implement recycling or composting programs with grant money from Wake County Environmental Services' Solid Waste Management Division. These annual grants are designed to support recycling markets, which provide the infrastructure for the collection, processing and sale of recycled material.
"By looking at the different grant proposals that were received, the Division can tell where recycling markets are headed," said Kelley Dennings, Wake County Commercial Waste Reduction Specialist. "We had a number of applicants for food waste composting and construction debris recycling projects."
The 2003 grant winners are:
- The Angus Barn Restaurant in Raleigh and Gannett Fleming, Inc., a consultant for three Food Lion grocery stores in Cary; each received funding to collect food waste for composting through a contractor.
- The Habitat for Humanity of Wake County Re-use Center and PCM Construction of Apex partnership was granted money to collect clean wood waste from construction sites for resale at the Habitat Re-use Center.
- Conn Global Communications Elementary School of Raleigh received funding to purchase compost tumblers and worm bins to compost paper and food waste on-site through student and volunteer help.
- The Town of Cary was awarded grant funds to conduct a PLANT (Partners for Landscaping and Naturescaping Training) workshop to educate citizens about composting and water conservation.
Two grant recipients from last year have been given extensions to complete their projects.
- Peace College in Raleigh is also coordinating an on-site composting program to recycle food waste generated in their cafeteria.
- Brooks Contractor in Chatham County still has grant funds available for area businesses to begin collecting food waste for composting, in anticipation that the company will continue the project after the grant money has been exhausted.
"Last year's grant recipients recycled 3,000 tons of commercial waste," said Dennings. "We hope to improve on that number this year. The County will continue to provide recycling grant funds to the business sector, since commercial, industrial and institutional entities create 70% of the waste."
Wake County waste reduction grant recipients are selected for innovative recycling programs that promise significant benefits and could be easily adopted by other businesses. To obtain a grant application or for other solid waste questions, call the Solid Waste Management Division at (919) 856-5277 for more information.