Pennsylvania Investing 20 Million in Recycling

Pennsylvania Investing 20 Million in Recycling

January 2008  - Pennsylvania Governor 
Ed Rendell says the state will spend $20 million to support new and 
expanded recycling programs benefiting 10 million people in 134 
communities across the state. 
Counties, cities and townships will purchase recycling containers, 
establish a drop-off recycling programs, yard waste collection and 
composting, and augment recyclable materials processing. 
"Recycling is a dynamic and growing enterprise in Pennsylvania," said the 
governor Friday, announcing $20 million in funding through the Recycling 
Development and Implementation Grant Program. 
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty said 
reusing materials is an important factor in Pennsylvania's drive to energy 
independence. 
"To put it in perspective," she said, "the materials Pennsylvanians 
recycled in 2005 saved almost 98 trillion British thermal units of energy 
and cut more than 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from 
the air. 
"That's the equivalent of eliminating the output from three large 
coal-fired power plants and taking 1.7 million cars and light trucks off 
the road," McGinty said. 
The Recycling Development and Implementation Grant Program reimburses 
local governments, councils of government, consortiums and solid waste 
authorities for the cost of municipal recycling and composting programs. 
Pennsylvania's recycling program, created under Act 101 of 1988, mandates 
recycling in the state's larger municipalities and requires counties to 
develop municipal waste management plans. 
"The more we recycle, the more natural resources we preserve and the 
better our environment's health," said Governor Rendell. "And, it's 
important to recognize that these investments by the commonwealth come 
back to us in more jobs and a stronger economy." 
 
One of the largest grants will go to Pittsburgh, which will receive 
$499,695 to enhance downtown and small business recycling. 
Blair County will receive $500, 000 to improve, enhance and expand 
recycling efforts in Altoona, Holidaysburg, Tyrone and Logan and to 
increase diversion of leaf and yard waste to the Blair County compost 
site. 
Union County will get $492,044 to improve the county-wide recycling 
program and implement a commercial food waste composting program. 
In 2005, Pennsylvanians recycled a record 4.86 million tons of municipal 
waste, saving consumers and industries nearly $263 million in disposal 
costs and providing businesses with materials valued at $577 million. 
"Recycling is an important tool in growing Pennsylvania's economy and for 
protecting our environment, but it also plays a role in reducing our 
dependence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels," said McGinty. "Greater 
levels of recycling mean fewer natural resources have to be extracted from 
the earth and manufactured into finished products. The supply chain and 
production processes associated with that conversion consumes an 
incredible amount of energy, scars the planet, and creates a tremendous 
amount of air pollution. 
The commonwealth's recycling and reuse industry includes more than 3,200 
establishments with total annual sales of $18.4 billion. The industry 
employs more than 81,000 people and has an annual payroll of $2.9 billion. 
Additionally, these businesses add more than $305 million in taxes to the 
state treasury. 

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