To spur innovation in the disposal and recycling of construction and demolition materials, King County, Washington’s Solid Waste Division announced Oct. 24 that it is offering $700,000 in grant funding for projects that support regional waste reduction goals as well as the development of new markets for these materials.
According to the association, although the construction industry creates vital jobs that support the regional economy, the waste generated each year by developers, remodelers, builders and other construction operations totals roughly 1 million tons annually, or about one-third of all the solid waste in King County.
King County Construction and Demolition Ordinance No. 18166 bans construction and demolition waste materials from King County solid waste transfer stations. This ban includes metal, cardboard, clean wood, concrete, asphalt, brick, drywall and more. The grant program to advance waste reduction and recycling was included as part of the ordinance.
Businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and municipalities within the King County solid waste service area (this excludes Seattle and Milton) are eligible to apply.
Examples of the type of projects eligible for funding include:
• Implementation of prevention and/or reuse
• Development of new recycling systems that exclude combustion-based uses
• Increased collection of specified materials through improved infrastructure, equipment and processes
• Applied research of emerging recycling technologies and/or recycling techniques
• Market development and/or development of new products made from construction and demolition materials
• Improvement of existing recycling infrastructures or processes for construction and demolition recycling
• Piloting new processing technologies for specified materials
• Promoting manufacturing of new materials from construction and demolition materials
• Other innovative technologies or approaches that may significantly increase quantities of construction and demolition materials that are recycled.
King County will prioritize proposals to address expanding markets for wood and residuals from material recovery facilities due to the large quantities and lack of markets for these items, the organization says.
Grant recipients will be required to provide 25 percent in matching funds that could be met in cash or contributed services, and awards will be dispersed quarterly. Work funded by the grants must be completed by the end of 2021. King County could require reimbursement for incomplete work or other failures to comply with the grant terms and conditions.
For more information about the Construction and Demolition Recycling Grant Program, interested parties can contact King County Senior Buyer Linda McKinly at (206)263-9701 or linda.mckinly@kingcounty.gov.
