BY J.B SHAW
After a decade-long hiatus, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) relaunched the Recycling Grant Program in 2024, offering $1 million to help communities and organizations create or expand recycling initiatives.
Grants were awarded in three key areas: Waste Reduction Assistance, Education, and Recycling Research & Development. Guided by the Arizona Recycling Advisory Committee (ARAC) — comprising experts from government, education, business, and nonprofits — grantees were chosen for their innovative waste reduction and public education efforts.
The reemergence of this grant program isn’t just about distributing funds — it’s about empowering communities to rethink waste, embrace sustainability, and create lasting environmental change. The ADEQ Recycling Grant program offers businesses and communities across Arizona the opportunity to tackle critical waste issues while also promoting innovative ideas and fostering a circular economy that keeps resources local — marking an exciting new chapter for our state.
“The relaunch of the Arizona Recycling Grant Program has sparked great excitement and showcases our communities’ dedication to protecting our beautiful state,” says ARAC Chair Joe Giudice. “The 12 projects we selected are creating jobs, improving recycling access and education, and recovering valuable materials. This is just the beginning of the positive impact we can achieve together!”
From a pool of 61 applications, ADEQ’s Arizona Recycling Advisory Committee, along with ADEQ’s director, narrowed down the field to 12 outstanding grant awardees for 2024: Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology ($77,900), Borderlands Produce Rescue ($139,661.65), Brophy College Preparatory ($27,371.50), City of Avondale ($64,000), City of Bisbee ($133,000), City of Mesa ($135,500), City of Sedona ($53,650.02), Bold Reuse ($208,000), Let’s Go Compost ($45,000), Nackard Pepsi ($66,916.83), Northern Arizona University Board of Regents ($43,000), and Rim Country Senior Center ($6,000).
Arizona faces significant waste challenges, with only 21% of materials recycled, while over 10 million tons end up in landfills each year, according to The Recycling Partnership. This ‘trash’ represents benefit our communities. For every 1,000 tons of materials recycled, 1.17 jobs are created, and every ton of waste recycled equates to $65.23 in wages and $9.42 in tax revenue, showcasing both economic and environmental gains by recycling.
ADEQ’s recycling grants help turn these challenges into opportunities, funding innovative projects that reduce waste, create jobs, and support a more sustainable future for Arizona.
In the first six months of funding, the 12 grantees diverted over 640,000 pounds of waste from landfills, created nine new jobs across urban and rural communities, and engaged thousands of students in sustainability education to help shape the environmental leaders of tomorrow.
BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR ARIZONA
As Arizona advances toward a sustainable future, these grantees show that community-driven initiatives can make a significant impact. ADEQ is committed to fostering recycling innovation and preparing for another round of funding to support local businesses and strengthen the circular economy. A new statewide Solid Waste Management Plan aims to secure funding for creative waste diversion and new product development that benefits Arizona communities.
“The demand for more funding is there to help businesses develop circular economy solutions for Arizona’s ‘waste’ — or as we prefer to call it, ‘resources,'” says ADEQ Recycling Coordinator J.B. Shaw (who is also the author of this article). “These grants empower local organizations to bring their big ideas to life, creating jobs and ensuring materials retain their highest value. Without this financial support, many of these critical initiatives would struggle to get off the ground or make meaningful progress.”
With more funding, ADEQ can continue to support nonprofits, cities, and businesses leading the way in sustainability — growing programs, creating jobs, and reducing landfill waste. ADEQ is committed to pushing forward with the Solid Waste Management Plan and promoting a thriving circular economy, where waste becomes a resource.
For more information on the 2024 ADEQ Recycling Grant awardees, check out our expanded coverage at www.greenlivingmag.com/ADEQ-2024-grants.
