State Energy Office Announces Recycling and Food Composting Grants Now Available

SPRINGFIELD - The State Energy Office at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is pleased to announce two grant opportunities to assist local governments, for-profit, and not-for-profit businesses and organizations with their recycling/composting efforts.  Entities with traditional recycling (fiber, plastic, metal, and glass) projects may apply for funding through the Illinois Recycling Grants Program. Projects involving the composting of food scraps may be eligible for funding through the Food Scrap Composting Grants Program. 

The purpose of the grant programs is to divert more products from Illinois landfills by increasing the amount of materials recycled/composted in Illinois, increase the self-sufficiency of the industries, and expand the availability of facilities to process these materials. Projects that demonstrate public economic benefits, such as job creation, will be given priority.
 
Traditional recyclables grant funds may be used to purchase project-related capital equipment such as collection, processing or handling equipment as well as project-related expansion and modernization costs.  Food scrap grant funds may be used to purchase collection and processing equipment as well as pay for project necessary site improvements.
 
Grant funds are made available through the Illinois Solid Waste Management Fund.  The maximum award amounts for both grant programs are $50,000. Applicants must provide a minimum cash only match of 25 percent of total project costs in order to qualify.
 
Applications can be downloaded via the Illinois Energy Office website at http://www.illinoisrecycles.com

Entities interested in submitting an application for the Illinois Recycling Grants Program are encouraged to schedule an individual consultation with their regional DCEO representative by calling David Ross at 217/782-7887, or at David.Ross@Illinois.gov.
 
Those interested in submitting a Food Composting application should contact David E. Smith at 217/785-2006, or at David.E.Smith@illinois.gov.