Residential Curbside Recycling Cart Grant Program

The Residential Curbside Recycling Cart Grant Program, offered by The Recycling Partnership, supports communities in enhancing their recycling efforts through grant funding and technical assistance. It encourages the implementation of cart-based recycling systems, conversion from bins to carts, and expansion of service areas to ensure equitable access. This initiative also includes vital education and outreach support, helping residents improve their recycling habits and ultimately achieve higher recycling rates.

Through The Recycling Partnership’s Residential Curbside Recycling Cart Grant, communities are provided grant funding, technical assistance, as well as the design of education and outreach materials to help advance recycling and improve recycling access and capacity for U.S. residents. Communities considering any of the following three system improvements are encouraged to apply:
Implementing a new cart-based curbside recycling program Converting existing bin or bag-based program to carts Expanding service area to improve access and equity
Why carts?
Recycling carts are the most efficient way to increase and sustain higher recycling rates. It increases collection efficiency, provides residents with more room to store recyclables, helps prevent materials from blowing away and becoming litter, and is safer for collection crews with decreased workers’ compensation claims.
Education and Outreach Assistance
The Recycling Partnership has developed a tested and proven approach to supporting education and outreach in communities that are implementing cart-based recycling. Grantees must agree to use select elements of The Partnership’s campaign materials and must also partner with The Partnership to deploy an outreach campaign during the months prior to the rollout of carts. Required education and outreach activities include a direct-to-resident information card informing citizens about the availability/impending distribution of recycling carts, a kit of information delivered with the cart, and the use of oops tags or other anti-contamination strategies to reinforce correct recycling behavior after carts have been delivered. Grant funding at the level of $1 per household is provided to support the implementation of these items.