The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) today presented a $100,000 recycling grant to the Town of Brookline, which will use the funds to help offset the costs for wheeled carts to support the town's automated, single-stream recycling collection program.

"There are now 70 single-stream recycling programs in communities across the Commonwealth. Single-stream recycling with carts results in an average 20 percent increase in recycling tonnage, with some communities achieving more than 50 percent increases," MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell said. "As we mark the 41st anniversary of Earth Day this month, these grant funds will help Brookline and other communities increase recycling, reduce the waste stream and save hundreds of thousands of dollars in disposal fees." 

Commissioner Kimmell delivered the recycling grant to Brookline officials during a ceremony today at Brookline Town Hall.

"The Town of Brookline is very pleased to receive this grant today," Town Administrator Mel Kleckner said. "Single-stream recycling will ultimately save the town hundreds of thousands of dollars in avoided solid waste disposal costs, but making the capital investment to achieve that savings is difficult in this budgetary environment. The $100,000 grant is an immense help to the town in acquiring our single-stream toters." 

"Brookline's transition to single-stream recycling serves as a model for communities around the state," State Senator Cynthia S. Creem said. "The grant recognizes that this program leads to reduced waste disposal and increased community recycling."

"I'm grateful and encouraged to see Brookline receive a reimbursement for implementing single-stream recycling," State Representative Frank I. Smizik said. "This grant is a welcome investment toward increasing recycling rates and reducing litter and solid waste." 

The grant initiative - called the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) - supports single-stream recycling collection with carts because it is more efficient and reduces solid waste costs for municipalities. Recycling carts increase resident participation and hike the capture rate of recyclable materials since they provide more capacity than the traditional 18-gallon "blue bins." The grant is a $10-per-cart subsidy for Brookline; the town must fund the balance of the cost - approximately $25-30 per cart.

Brookline implemented its single-stream recycling program in October 2010, delivering 12,000 carts to residents. In the first six months of the town's program, recycling is up by 303 tons (a 13 percent increase) and trash is down by 400 tons (a 9 percent decrease).

Brookline is one of four communities receiving the recycling grants this week. The City of Springfield and the Town of Framingham will also receive $100,000 grants today and tomorrow respectively, while the Town of Franklin will receive a grant of $86,500 tomorrow.

SMRP awards are being used to support single-stream recycling, Pay-As-You-Throw programs, recycling and organics diversion, household hazardous waste collection, materials reuse, and community recycling outreach and education initiatives. MassDEP is now soliciting proposals for the next round of SMRP grants awards. Municipalities, businesses, state agencies, institutions and non-government organizations are eligible to apply for the grants. For more information about the SMRP and the grant application process, turn to: http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/recawgr.htm

For more information about single-stream and other community recycling programs, turn to: http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reducere.htm

MassDEP is responsible for ensuring clean air and water, safe management and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, timely cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills, and the preservation of wetlands and coastal resources.