(BOSTON) – On Tuesday, November 15th, MassDEP announced $4.2 million in grant funding to 270 municipalities and regional solid waste districts under the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program. Among these municipalities were Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, and Scituate.
The grants will aid municipalities in their efforts to maximize recycling, composting, and waste reduction programs. Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, and Scituate were among the communities that qualified for the Recycling Dividends Program (RDP), which recognizes municipalities that have implemented policies and programs proven to maximize the reuse and recycling of materials, as well as waste reduction. Communities that earn RDP payments must reinvest the funds in their recycling programs for things such as new recycling bins or carts, public education and outreach campaigns, collection of hard-to-recycle items, and the establishment of recycling programs in schools, municipal buildings, and other public spaces.
Towns in the 3rd Plymouth District received the following funding:
Cohasset: $10,800.00
Hingham: $15,600.00
Hull: $980.00
Scituate: $18,700.00
“The expansion of recycling and waste reduction programs across the Commonwealth is a critical piece of the larger effort to combat the climate crisis on multiple fronts,” said Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull). “I am thrilled that Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, and Scituate will benefit from this grant funding, which will help our towns to simultaneously benefit the environment and save money.”
Last year, the Commonwealth’s plans for waste reduction were updated with the release of a 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan and the issuing of new regulations that require the recycling of textiles and mattresses and increase the requirements to recycle and reuse food and organic materials. The Master Plan also sets two significant goals: to reduce disposal by 30 percent in 2030 and to achieve a 90 percent reduction by 2050.