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Waste Programs Division | Recycling Program

ADEQ Recycling Grant Program

Revised On: Dec. 6th, 2024 - 03:51 pm

Revised On: October 2, 2023 - 5:30 p.m.

The ADEQ Recycling Program was established through the Arizona Solid Waste Recycling Act of 1990 (see A.R.S. §49-831 et seq.). The Recycling Program is responsible for providing public education to encourage participation in recycling and source reduction, and for providing the public with information about proper solid waste disposal. Program monies are derived from landfill disposal fees and fund the following types of grants: 

  • Waste Reduction Assistance (WRA): Funds initiatives like curbside recycling and household hazardous waste collections to majorly curb the solid waste stream.
  • Waste Reduction Initiative Through Education (WRITE): Funds education efforts to teach Arizonans about proper disposal of solid waste, as well as recycling campaigns and outreach programs to encourage participation in recycling.
  • Recycling Research & Development (RR&D): Funds development of new tools, products and information to assist in diverting material from landfills by using that material to create new products or by improving old technologies. 

The Recycling Program provides funding to political subdivisions of the State of Arizona, private enterprises, nonprofit organizations, and Arizona’s Tribal Governments.

Grant Application Resources, Forms, and Workshops

ADEQ is not accepting applications at this time. Please check back close to the new fiscal year (July 1, 2024) to see if ADEQ was appropriated funding to start the next cycle of recycling grants.

There are no scheduled workshops at this time. ADEQ will announce future workshops if and when funding is appropriated to ADEQ again.

ADEQ Recycling Coordinator
602-771-5613
Email >
 

FY24 Recycling Grant Recipients

Revised On: Dec. 6th, 2024 - 03:51 pm

The following are the FY24 Recycling Grant projects awarded for this grant cycle.

AzStRUT’s Rural Tech Hubs: Circular Economy Program will create and implement electronic recycling plans for five priority and underserved counties in Arizona: Apache, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, and Santa Cruz. The project plans to divert 25 tons of electronics from landfills and refurbish, reuse, or recycle all collected items.

Borderlands Produce Rescue’s project Potpourri for Animals and Composting (PAC) program will expand the focus on providing perishables for farmers to use as animal feed and composting groups to use for composting while diverting the solid waste materials from landfills and the waste stream. The project plans to increase the capacity to accept more perishable products and expand the animal feed and composting program for the region through outreach.

The Brophy Waste Consolidation and Redirection Initiative aims to address the high school’s zero waste goals through baling cardboard and aluminum cans to sell to market. This project will also address campus green waste by turning it into mulch to be used in their garden beds, creating a circular economy.

 

The City of Avondale Recycling Drop-Off Center proposal seeks to establish a strategically located recycling drop-off center near expanding multi-family housing communities in Avondale. The overarching objectives are to provide and promote recycling opportunities to all residents in Avondale thereby diverting waste from the landfill.

The City of Bisbee Glass Recycling Expansion Project will acquire equipment to process glass locally and turn the recycled glass into sand and utilize this as an alternative to the sand they purchase for construction, roads, and other needs. This will allow the City of Bisbee to create a circular economy around glass within the city.

 

The City of Mesa Downtown Mesa Recycling Initiative seeks to implement a recycling collection initiative in Downtown Mesa specifically designed to address the unique needs of multi-dwelling properties, small businesses, public-use areas, and government venues, such as Mesa’s Convention Center and the Mesa Amphitheater. The project will address recycling challenges in the area by introducing commercial commingled recycling services for downtown businesses, placing public recycling containers in high-traffic pedestrian areas, and adding recycling to both the Convention Center and Amphitheater.

The City of Sedona’s Smart Recycling Receptacles project would be the City’s first smart recycling receptacles available to the public and would be a giant leap towards creating a circular economy and obtaining additional waste data for public areas in Sedona.

 

Bold Reuse’s Phoenix Metro Regional Reuse Wash Hub project will support ADEQ’s source reduction goals by building a regional wash facility that can catalyze the introduction of and scale of reusable packaging systems within the Phoenix metro region. Specifically, this program seeks to dramatically decrease the volume of waste and environmental impacts of single-use food and beverage items served at large-scale entertainment and sports venues, events, grade schools and corporate campuses. 

Let’s Go Compost’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Classroom Composting Program will provide several schools with a mobile school garden and composting unit, along with technical guidance, support, and resources to educators to enhance STEAM education programs and deliver hands-on opportunities for students to interact and engage with gardening and composting, while fostering an understanding of composting’s ecological significance.

The Nackard Pepsi Recycling Expansion Project will allow Nackard Pepsi to obtain the equipment needed to expand their recycling program to include more communities in northern Arizona, supporting both low-income areas and indigenous communities. The new equipment will cut out unnecessary steps and reduce emissions from transportation.

 

NAU’s project, Promoting Recycling Behavior at NAU using a Community-Based Social Marketing Approach (CBSM), will advocate for desirable recycling behavior which will increase recycling rates, as well as create a model for other universities to follow. Activities will utilize key strategies from the community-based social marketing CBSM approach, including prompts; commitments; activating social norms; encouraging social diffusion; and clear, concise communication.

The Rim Country Senior Center Recycling upgrade and expansion project will help to improve collections through updated signage and equipment. The senior center will also be increasing access to recycling for residents and businesses by adding 10 new collection points in the surrounding areas of Overgaard.

Arizona Recycling Advisory Committee (ARAC)

Revised On: Dec. 6th, 2024 - 03:51 pm

The Arizona Recycling Advisory Committee (ARAC) was formed to review recycling grant applications and help monitor the progress of awarded projects.1 

The ARAC Members consist of:

  • Two representatives from private solid waste collection businesses
  • Two representatives from private solid waste recycling businesses
  • Four representatives from political subdivisions that have implemented recycling and source reduction programs, at least one of whom resides in a county having a population of fewer than five hundred thousand persons
  • One representative of the general public

Meet the Committee

Revised On: Dec. 6th, 2024 - 03:51 pm
Joe Giudice — ARAC Chair

Joe Giudice — ARAC Chair

Deputy Solid Waste Director, City of Mesa

Joe has overseen solid waste and recycling programs in Arizona for nearly 30 years. He has been a leader in recycling and circular economy initiatives in local government ranging from remanufacturing of new products from recycled materials and implementing procurement programs to purchase materials manufactured from recycled content.

Phil Scheinbein — ARAC Vice Chair

Phil Scheinbein — ARAC Vice Chair

CEO, Generated Materials Recovery

Phil has led Generated Materials Recovery since 2003. During his tenure, Generated Materials Recovery became the leading processor of manufacturing and distribution of industrial waste streams for more than 100 of Arizona’s largest manufacturers. Generated Materials Recovery was a Finalist for the 2023 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence from Arizona Forward.

 

Amanda Jordan

Amanda Jordan

Circular Economy Project Manager, City of Phoenix

Amanda works collaboratively across the Public Works and Community and Economic Development departments to drive forward the City’s circular economy initiatives. She has studied and worked in the space of circular economy for over a decade, oversees the development of the City’s 40-acre Resource Innovation Campus, and manages internal and external partnerships.

Baltazar Garcia

Baltazar Garcia

Founder & CEO, Enviro Manufacturing Inc. & Transformadora de Mexico 

Since 1994, Baltazar has been providing waste management solutions to the maquila industry in Arizona, Sonora and Baja California. He has established business relationships with local, national and international companies and works with clients to meet their environmental objectives. He also promotes recycling programs in schools, foundations, companies and government agencies to reduce pollution impact.

Larry Williams

Larry Williams

Director of Sales and Marketing, Waste Connections of Arizona

Larry leads the effort to create and maintain strong bonds with the company’s municipality and HOA client base through innovative community outreach programs and recycling education and awareness. During his 15-year tenure in the waste industry, he has directed countless marketing and business development initiatives that increased market placement and raised significant awareness in recycling. Larry has collaborated with partner corporations, municipalities and government organizations to help shape environmental strategy and goals. 

Mark Snedecor

Mark Snedecor

Director of Recycling Operations, Four Corners Market Area, Waste Management 

Mark oversees recycling operations for Waste Management’s CO/UT/AZ/NM operating units, which includes seven single-stream and commercial recycling facilities in these areas. Responsibilities include strategic planning, operations oversight, customer retention and budgeting. He has 25 years of industry experience, including in solid waste collection, recycling and disposal, and has been with Waste Management since 1998.

Melanie Mendez

Melanie Mendez

Recycling and Landfill Manager, Gila County 

Melanie has two decades of experience in recycling and solid Waste Management. While China’s policy, National Sword, created challenges for the recycling industry, Melanie understood the importance of continued recycling efforts. Melanie’s experience and education support her expertise in areas such as waste management, zero waste, source-separating recyclables, hazardous waste, food waste recycling, and commercial waste audits.

 

Raj Buch

Raj Buch

Director of Sustainability Practice, Arizona State University

Over the last 10 years, Raj has developed circular economy solutions at local and regional scales, building collaborative expert-practitioner networks to advance circular economy, and developing circular economy curricula. He was instrumental in collaboratively building ASU’s Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service, a university-based sustainability solutions knowledge and discovery practice, with an applied research and solutions development mission. 

Travis Gillund

Travis Gillund

Maricopa County Facilities Management (Sustainability Division), Recycling Coordinator 

Since 2007, Travis has served in various roles at Maricopa County, including Environmental Specialist to conduct code compliance inspections, Hazardous Waste Specialist to aid with Emergency Responses at county locations, and Recycling Coordinator. He has managed the County’s internal recycling program (MC Recycling) development, which has grown from initially removing about 175,000 pounds of the county’s batteries, light bulbs, aerosols and oil a year to removing about 2 million pounds a year.

MEETING AGENDAS & MINUTES

Revised On: Dec. 6th, 2024 - 03:51 pm

April 9, 2025

Oct. 22, 2024

July 10, 2024

March 14, 2024

Feb. 14, 2024

Feb. 7, 2024

Jan. 31, 2024

Jan. 24, 2024

Jan. 10, 2024

Dec. 20, 2023

Dec. 14, 2023

Nov. 15, 2023

Sept. 21, 2023

Revised On: Dec. 6th, 2024 - 03:51 pm

Disclosure Statement identifying where public notices of meetings will be displayed2 | View >

 
1Pursuant to A.R.S. §49-837 | View >
2Pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.02(A)(1)(a) | View >