Malden legislative delegation announces $49K state grant to support recycling and waste reduction in Malden

  Senator Jason Lewis and Representatives Steven Ultrino, Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Paul Donato applauded the recent announcement that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) awarded the City of Malden $49,000 through their Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP). The city may use SMRP grant funding to improve local recycling, composting, reuse and household hazardous waste diversion programs.

    The SMRP has awarded more than $50 million in grants since the program’s creation in 2010. New to the program this year, grantees were encouraged to consider Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in their trash and recycling programs.

  “I’m pleased to see Malden receiving this state grant to help support the community’s recycling and waste reduction efforts,” said Senator Lewis. “As the co-founder and Senate Chair of the state legislature’s Zero Waste Caucus, I’m committed to doing everything we can to support efforts at the local and state levels to reduce solid waste, especially single-use plastics that are harming our environment and public health.”

  “The Recycling Dividends Program is another great step that Malden is taking to create a more sustainable community,” said Representative Donato. “Finding innovative solutions to fight waste is vital to ensuring our planet’s future and it was a pleasure to work with my Malden colleagues on this funding.”

  “I’m pleased to see Malden receive state funds to maximize recycling, composting, and waste reduction programs,” said Representative Lipper-Garabedian. “I am confident that these funds will go a long way in promoting sustainability as we continue to look for ways to navigate the climate crisis.”

  “This program offers crucial funding for cities across the Commonwealth to support and encourage recycling, composting and waste reduction initiatives,” said Representative Ultrino. “I am honored to have worked with my colleagues in the legislature to secure this investment for our community, residents and small business owners to help them transition to sustainable recycling practices and protect our state’s natural resources.”

  “These funds continue to be an essential resource in our efforts to make Malden more environmentally responsible when it comes to waste reduction and recycling,” said Mayor Christenson. “These funds have been used for recycling education, resident communications, special recycling efforts as well as much needed resources for being able to adapt to constantly changing regulations, we’ve been able to make significant progress. I encourage our lawmakers as well as MassDEP to keep this program at the top of their priority list.”