SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The $3.9 million Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to provide big boost to recycling across the Northern Shenandoah Valley region.

The grant money will fund efforts by the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC) to boost the recycling processing capability at convenience centres and landfills, along with ensuring increased regional recycling rates.

NSVRC aims to fund three major initiatives through the grant money.

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First among these is reestablishment of curbside recycling services in various towns. Currently, only three out of the fourteen towns in the region offer curbside recycling services, as compared to nine in 2017. The grant money will offset the start-up costs for setting up curbside recycling in towns that lack them.

The second priority will be towards purchase of new recycling holder containers. The grant money will be utilized towards purchase of 62 30-yard containers for regional convenience centres. Some of the existing containers are more than 10-15 years old, NSVRC noted.

In addition, the grant will fund upgrades to tire-grinding operations. The current tire-shredding machine is capable of processing only around 120,000 tires per year, lower than around 200,000 tires it receives every year. The grant money will be used to upgrade it to heavy duty high capacity shredder which can handle more number of tires for processing.