The bipartisan infrastructure law (also known as the infrastructure investment and jobs act) funded this cooperative agreement

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection received a $572,065 Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant Program (CFDA 66.920). The purpose of the award is to enhance the state's efforts to meet the objectives of the SWIFR program, which include supporting improvements to local post-consumer materials management and advancing a circular economy for materials.

Key activities to be performed under this award include conducting a comprehensive waste characterization study, proposing requirements for mandatory reporting by recyclers, and determining the state's baseline recycling rate. The anticipated deliverables include quantifying the composition of West Virginia's waste stream, developing an accurate recycling baseline, and identifying opportunities to improve state legislation to positively impact recycling. These efforts are expected to increase the state's recycling rate and reduce future greenhouse gas emissions. The intended beneficiaries are West Virginia recyclers and citizens, including disadvantaged communities.

EPA's solid waste infrastructure for recycling (swifr) grants for states and territories will fund activities that support long-term planning and data collection needs to demonstrate progress toward the national recycling goal and food loss and waste reduction goal and advance a circular economy for materials, as well as support the state-led implementation of plans to advance post-consumer materials management. The purpose of this award is to enhance the west virginia department of environmental protection's efforts to meet the swifr grants elements. The west virginia department of environmental protection will review and provide interpretation of state laws and regulations to ensure effective implementation of the swifr program.activities:the activities to be performed include conducting a waste characterization study, proposing requirements for mandatory reporting of recyclers, and determining the state's baseline recycling rate that will have a positive impact on the state of recycling. In addition, the west virginia department of environmental protection will review all state legislation for opportunities to improve recycling and suggest changes. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include determining the composition of waste, developing a baseline recycling rate, and making necessary improvements to legislation that will have a positive impact on the state of recycling in west virginia. The expected outcomes include procuring services to conduct a field-based waste characterization study which assist in identifying the most common materials used and bring recycling markets and job opportunities to west virginia. The state will draft legislation requiring that recyclers within the state report annually. These efforts will increase the recycling rate while reducing future greenhouse gas emissions. The intended beneficiaries include the state of west virginia recyclers and citizens, including disadvantaged communities.