This action approves an award in the amount of $2,440,000 to the metropolitan government of nashville-davidson county

Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 awarded a $2.44 million Cooperative Agreement to the Metropolitan Government of Nashville-Davidson County under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grants program (CFDA 66.920) on May 1, 2026, to establish Nashville's first metro-owned Materials Recovery Facility and expand recycling infrastructure across the county.

The recipient will purchase and install a mini-MRF system comprising a drum feeder, conveyor system, and mechanical auto-tie baler to process material from residential recycling programs, downtown collection points, and public litter baskets. The city will install waste stations in downtown Nashville and Jefferson Street equipped with artificial intelligence and smart sorting technology to recover recyclables at locations where no public recycling collection infrastructure currently exists, targeting businesses, residents, and visitors while minimizing contamination. The recipient will market high-quality, high-value commodities recovered from downtown collection points, eleven recycling drop-off sites, curbside collection programs, and public litter baskets processed through the mini-MRF to increase waste diversion from landfills and incineration and create new revenue streams.

The award obligates $2.44 million through April 30, 2029. Performance occurs in Tennessee. The SWIFR program supports post-consumer materials management improvements including municipal recycling, collection and transport systems, and safe disposal of non-recoverable waste, as authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

This agreement provides funding from the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA). The environmental protection agency's (EPA) solid waste infrastructure for recycling (SWIFR) grants for political subdivisions of states and territories will fund activities that will result in a significant decrease in the generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) and/or an increase in the diversion of MSW from landfills and incineration, as well as funding innovative solutions and programs that provide or increase access to prevention, reuse, mechanical recycling, anaerobic digestion, and composting. The purpose of this award is to enhance the recipient's efforts to meet the SWIFR grant elements. Specifically, the recipient will build regional waste management by establishing nashville's first metro-owned materials recovery facility (MRF) as well as installing recycling infrastructure through the installation of litter/recycling baskets with artificial intelligence (A.I.) and smart sorting technology. Activities:the activities to be performed include 1) purchasing and installing mini-MRF system including a drum feeder, conveyor system, and mechanical auto-tie baler to build immediate capacity for the county to directly process material from residential recycling programs, downtown nashville residents and businesses, and public litter baskets; 2) installing waste stations in downtown nashville and jefferson ST. With A.I./smart technology to recover recycling where currently no public infrastructure for recycling collection exists for businesses, residents, and visitors with minimal contamination; 3) market high quality, high value commodities from downtown collection points the county's 11 recycling drop-off sites and curbside collection program, and public litter baskets processed at the mini-MRF, to increase diversion and create new revenue stream that funds future expansion of the recycling program; and, 4) establishing the foundation for the future development of a regional MRF owned by the county to serve all of davidson county as well as surrounding counties. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include infrastructure investments and an increase in municipal solid waste collected with diversion of approximately 2,500 tons of recyclable material. The expected outcomes include the reduction of harmful impacts of litter, reduction of polyethylene terephthalate (pet), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), cardboard, paper, cartons, and glass landfilled in the county, and an increase in the number of permanent and temporary jobs related to MRF operations (estimated 5 or more permanent jobs). The intended beneficiaries include nashville-davidson county, tennessee residents.