Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) is Growing on Cape Cod & the Islands
Barnstable County Announces 174% Increase in Total Funding to Cape & Islands Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) Participants in 2017
BARNSTABLE COUNTY, MA – The Cape and Islands have been awarded more than $700,000 in Round 1 and Round 2 of MassDEP’s 2017 Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) Municipal Grant funding program, a 174% overall increase in funding since the previous fiscal year. SMRP Municipal Grants support local recycling, composting/organics, reuse, source reduction, policy development and enforcement activities that increase diversion and reduce disposal, while the Recycling Dividends Program (RDP) under SMRP, awards municipalities that are already implementing programs that prove to divert municipal solid waste.
The grants enhance Barnstable County Government’s effort to provide technical assistance on waste reduction andrecycling to county towns. Barnstable County Cape Cod Cooperative Extension’s Municipal Assistance Coordinator, Kari Parcell, is tasked with providing technical assistance to communities in managing recycling and waste disposal challenges and acts as a resource in assisting municipalities in applying for SMRP grant funding.
“Barnstable County is committed to helping our towns save money on waste disposal and improve the health of our communities,” said Jack Yunits, Barnstable County Administrator. “Through coordination and assistance of our Municipal Assistance Coordinator, these grant programs help increase the diversion, reuse, composting and recycling of materials in the solid waste stream”.
The towns included in the grant and the amounts they’ve received are as follows:
15 Cape and Islands municipalities received RDP grant awards in Round 1, totaling $101,050 to continue and expand solid waste diversion programs.
In Round 2: Bourne, on behalf of all Cape Cod municipalities: Latex Paint Recycling in partnership with The Paint Exchange; $71,000
Dennis, awarded three separate grants; including mattress recycling incentive; $35,000
Eastham, to study their current municipal trash program; $49,760
Yarmouth, awarded four separate grants; including mattress recycling incentive, and funding for a regional anaerobic digester; $450,000.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Kari Parcell, Municipal Assistance Coordinator at 774-994-7514 (cell) or 508-375-6974 (office), or email Kari.parcell@capecod.gov
