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PENNSYLVANIA
Recycling in Pennsylvania Tops 4.8 Million Tons, Saving Materials
Valued at $113 Million
Governor Edward G. Rendell has announced that Pennsylvanians recycled
a record 4.8 million tons of municipal waste in 2004, the latest year
for which statistics are available.
The economic benefits of recycling are estimated at more than $113
million in materials collected and more than $259 million of avoided
disposal costs, in addition to the substantial environmental gains from
recycling. "Our investments to support community recycling efforts
and innovative private-sector initiatives have made Pennsylvania a national
leader in recycling," Governor Rendell said. "In Pennsylvania,
we are committed to protecting the environment and to using environmental
protection measures to foster job creation and economic growth."
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.
The employment, payroll and sales numbers are more than any other state
in the Northeast United States and are the second highest in the nation.
In addition, Pennsylvania's recycling and reuse industry has an indirect
effect on the economy estimated at $1.8 billion, and a direct impact
on the tax base, contributing $305 million each year.
According to reports filed by Pennsylvania counties for 2004, the state
diverted 4.8 million tons of municipal waste from disposal at landfills
and waste-to-energy facilities, continuing an upward trend that began
with passage of the state's recycling law in 1988. Municipal waste includes
typical refuse from households, businesses, schools and institutions
as well as industry offices and lunchrooms.
The economic benefit of recycling in 2004 can be assessed in part by
using published commodity prices for goods such as steel cans, glass,
plastic bottles and corrugated paper. An analysis of 1.4 million tons
of Pennsylvania's 2004 recycling reveals the materials were worth almost
$54 million. If the remaining 3.4 million tons of other materials were
valued at even half this amount, the total would be more than $113 million.
This does not include the estimated value of avoided disposal, which
can be calculated as more than $259 million at the estimated statewide
average disposal cost of $54 per ton.
"Across the commonwealth, people are recycling more at home, at
work and even in public places," Environmental Protection Secretary
Kathleen A. McGinty said. "Our partners in municipal governments
are using innovative collection programs not only to diversify what
they collect, but also to make their programs more efficient. The recycling
and reuse industries are creating new and valuable uses for recyclable
materials. Together, we are saving millions of tons of materials and
using them to grow our economy."
- The environmental benefits of recycling extend far beyond diverting
materials from landfills and incinerators.
- Pennsylvania recycling saved energy: Pennsylvania's 2004 recycling
efforts saved almost 66 trillion British thermal units (BTUs)
of energy, enough to power 643,000 homes for one year in Pennsylvania
or the equivalent of conserving 531 million gallons of gasoline.
- Pennsylvania recycling reduced air and water pollution: Pennsylvania
recycling in 2004 eliminated more than 2.5 million metric tons
of air emissions, including greenhouse gas emission reductions
of 1.9 million metric tons of carbon equivalent --- a savings
of approximately 2.4 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in
the commonwealth. Part of the air emissions savings total was
7,731 metric tons of sulfur oxides, an important ingredient in
acid rain formation. Nitrogen oxides, a precursor to smog, were
reduced by 8,814 metric tons, an amount equal to 5.5 percent of
these emissions from Pennsylvania electrical utilities. Water
pollutant reductions totaled nearly 9,000 metric tons.
- Pennsylvania's recycling conserved natural resources: By recycling
more than 1 million tons of steel cans, appliances and similar
materials, Pennsylvania industries saved almost 1.3 million tons
of iron ore, 718,460 tons of coal and 61,582 tons of limestone.
Through recycling newspapers, office and mixed paper, the state
saved the equivalent of 8.2 million trees. On average, a live
tree removes 60 pounds per year of air pollution from the environment.
For more information on this topic, visit DEP's
Web site, keyword: "Recycling."
Submission Date for Grant Applications under the Solid Waste-Resource
Recovery Development Act
The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) announces
that it is accepting Resource Recovery Demonstration Grant applications
from counties, municipalities and municipal authorities within this
Commonwealth under the Pennsylvania Solid Waste-Resource Recovery Development
Act (35 P. S. §§ 755.1--755.14). Projects must be capable
of demonstrating, for a minimum of two years, the production of energy
or the recovery of materials from solid waste (except sewage sludge).
Grant applications must meet the terms and conditions established in
25 Pa. Code Chapter 76 (relating to solid waste--resource recovery development.)
The Department is particularly interested in receiving applications
for projects to implement unique and innovative curbside collection
programs for food waste that result in environmentally sound alternatives
to landfilling. All projects must be capable of being replicated in
other areas of this Commonwealth.
Applicants must provide a business plan and market commitments for
energy or materials produced by the demonstration project. All projects
should be capable of reaching full-scale production within 12 months
of notice of a grant award.
A lead municipality or county serving as the development agency for
regional projects must have resolutions from other participating counties
or municipalities in support of the project. Counties and municipalities
may sponsor cooperative projects with private sector entities provided
that a minimum of 5% equity in the project is maintained by the development
agency for the term of the demonstration period.
The Department will award up to $250,000 this grant round. The Department
reserves the right to partially fund all or none of the grants submitted
during this grant round. A minimum of 25% local matching funds is required
including at least a 5% equity share in the project by the applicant.
The deadline for submission of grant applications is 3 p.m., April
6, 2006. Applications must be on forms provided by the Department. Applications
received by the Department or postmarked after the deadline will not
be considered during this application solicitation.
Counties and municipalities must contact the appropriate Department
Planning and Recycling Coordinator listed below to obtain a grant application.
A pre-application conference with the Department Regional Planning and
Recycling Coordinator is required. Inquiries concerning this notice
should be directed to John Lundsted, Recycling Technical Assistance
Coordinator, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Waste
Management, Division of Waste Minimization and Planning, Rachel Carson
State Office Building, PO Box 8472, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472.
- Regional Planning and Recycling Coordinators
- Southeast Region
Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties
Calvin Ligons
Ann Ryan
MaryAlice Reisse
- Northeast Region
Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton,
Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties
Chris Fritz
- Southcentral Region
Adams, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin,
Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry
and York Counties
Mark Vottero
- Northcentral Region
Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia,
Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga
and Union Counties
Michelle Ferguson
- Southwest Region
Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana,
Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland Counties
Sharon Svitek
Brad Cunningham
Stephen Sales
- Northwest Region
Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson,
Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties
Guy McUmber
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