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

This $551,877 Cooperative Agreement was awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant Program (CFDA 66.920). The award supports the Maryland Department of the Environment's efforts to enhance post-consumer materials management in the state. Key activities include:

(1) Conducting an organics assessment to identify potential locations for organics recycling infrastructure;

(2) Assessing existing recycling and processing infrastructure within Maryland and a 400-mile radius to map material processors;

(3) Developing a strategy for statewide access to training and workshops on food residuals diversion, organics recycling, market development, and reducing contamination; and

(4) Creating a GIS mapping tool using data from the infrastructure assessments.

The intended beneficiaries are all Maryland citizens, including disadvantaged communities. The award period is from October 1, 2023 to August 30, 2026.

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 maryland department of the environment's efforts to meet the swifr grants elements. The maryland department of the environment (MDE) will support the state-led implementation of plans to advance post-consumer materials management by addressing market development and identifying pathways to improve recycling and organics collection and management.activities:under this cooperative agreement, MDE will perform the following activities: (1) conduct an organics assessment to identify potential placement of organics recycling infrastructure through studies and analysis of key data areas; (2) conduct an assessment of existing recycling infrastructure within maryland and processing infrastructure 400 miles from the collection infrastructure in order to gain a more complete spatial understanding of the locations of specific material type processors that are essential in the implementation of maryland's waste reduction and resource recovery plan; (3) assess with other state agencies and local programs a written strategy outlining plans for statewide access to educational training and workshops to support food residual diversion through recovery, organics recycling, market development, feedstock availability and reduction in contamination of collected organics and processed materials; and (4) generate a mapping tool using data obtained under the first two activities.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: ranking of potential organics recycling infrastructure opportunities based on confidence rating; a GIS online tool identifying organics and recycling infrastructure; written strategy on plans and pathways for training and certification programs; a list of material processors within 400 miles of MD recycling collection infrastructure; a list of commodity collection, annual tonnage estimates, by material, by political jurisdiction; a list of businesses processing (post-consumer) recycled materials, by county within EJ/J40 community; and summary reports of activities accomplished as part of the organics assessment and recycling infrastructure assessment. The intended beneficiaries include all citizens of the state of maryland including disadvantaged communities.