The coalition highlights potential financial benefits, including up to $100 million in new state revenue and savings of $108 million annually in litter cleanup and waste disposal costs.
The grant arrives as the City Council approved residential waste rate increases starting January 2026, driven by rising recycling costs and landfill construction expenses.
During the challenge, participating schools worked to increase recycling and composting accuracy by keeping trash out of collection bins and ensuring food scraps and recyclables were sorted correctly.
The newly installed robotic unit can operate within a 36-inch reach, execute up to 60 precise picks per minute, and achieve accuracy levels approaching 80 percent.
This initiative comes in response to recent incidents of fires caused by improperly discarded batteries, including cases in both Linn County and Iowa City.
At the county meeting Wednesday, board chair Anthony Rodriguez introduced a motion urging the two consortiums to discuss the possibility of collaborating on a bid.