Zero Waste Development and Expansion Act

Zero Waste Development and Expansion Act

This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to award grants to local governments for developing solid waste prevention and recycling tactics and operations, which may include:

• development or deployment of technologies or practices to increase rates of waste prevention, recycling, composting, or product reuse;
• capital investment in infrastructure to start or expand waste prevention, recycling, composting, or product reuse programs;
• partnerships with local businesses interested in incorporating new technologies or processes to reduce or prevent waste in production or packaging; or
• community outreach and public education programming.

Grants must be awarded to applicants who collectively represent a range of existing waste prevention, recycling, composting, and product reuse rates.

To be considered for an award, applicants must: (1) set specific waste prevention, recycling, composting, product reuse, or public education goals that will bring communities closer to zero waste; and (2) have a plan to use grant funds for developing solid waste prevention and recycling tactics and operations.