Press Releases
12/07/2021
DEEP Announces Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program Opportunities
Program Will Support Establishment of Beverage Container Redemption Centers in Urban Centers and Environmental Justice Communities
(HARTFORD)— The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today the Beverage Container Recycling (a.k.a. Bottle Bill) Grant Program opportunities. The grant program will support the establishment of beverage container redemption centers in urban centers and environmental justice communities to help provide convenient and reliable access for container redemption to all Connecticut residents.
This grant program comes at a critical time as the state prepares to expand the list of container types covered under the bottle bill and increase the deposit amount. The Bottle Bill is an important environmental program that dramatically reduces litter and facilitates the recycling of glass, plastic and metal containers and minimizes their disposal.
Section 65 of June Special Session Public Act 21-2 required that DEEP issue a grant application process that distributes such grant proceeds and sets forth additional requirements. Information about the Grant Program and the grant application can be found on DEEP’s website.
“Connecticut’s Bottle Bill program is a powerful tool for reducing litter and promoting recycling in our State, and the key to its success is in providing convenient access to redemption for everyone in our State,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “The Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program will invest in redemption centers in areas of our state that are currently underserved and do not have adequate bottle redemption options. This will not only help us meet our environmental goals, but also advance business development opportunities for members of underserved communities. I would like to thank the legislators who pushed for the funding for this grant program because they recognized that access to redemption is not equitable throughout the state.”
Connecticut law requires that certain beverage containers – such as beer, water, and soda – be sold with a deposit that consumers can redeem at various redemption locations such as redemption centers or stores where deposit beverage containers are sold. The deposit is currently set at 5 cents and will increase to 10 cents on January 1, 2024. The types of containers covered by the bottle bill will also expand on January 1, 2023 to cover beverages such as juices, teas, coffees, sports drinks, and more.
Grants under the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program are specifically for redemption centers in urban centers and environmental justice communities. Applications for FY 21-22 will be accepted on a rolling basis from January 1, 2022 to May 30, 2022.
Awards may not exceed $150,000 per redemption center, and must be used for purposes including infrastructure, technology and costs associated with the establishment of a beverage container redemption center and for initial operational expenses of the redemption center. Preference will be given to locally owned, minority-owned, and/or women-owned business applicants, and first-time redemption center owners and new redemption centers. Business owners, municipalities, and regional councils of government are eligible to apply.
It is essential that all Connecticut residents have reliable and convenient access to redeem containers, and there is a clear need to expand such access in our urban centers. Establishing such access is critical before expansion of the types of covered containers and the increase in the deposit to $0.10. The Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program will help expand the number of redemption centers in the state and provide access to areas that are currently underserved in the redemption system.
Additional information can be found on the DEEP website at https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Reduce-Reuse-Recycle/Bottles/Beverage-Container-Recycling-Grant-Program.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110