Pennsylvania announces $20 million in recycling grants

On Thursday, Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced that the state had issued 116 new grants totaling $20 million to support municipal recycling programs.

“Recycling is a growth industry with many kinds of business opportunities, from waste management to manufacturing to inventing new technologies,” Rendell said in a press release. “These grants give residents greater access to waste reduction and recycling opportunities, helping to ensure a healthy environment and strong economy.”

Pennsylvania’s recycling program, enacted in 1988, mandates recycling in the state’s larger municipalities and requires counties to develop municipal waste management plans. The programs are supported by a $2 tipping fee on each ton of waste deposited in Pennsylvania landfills.