Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 119. No.29	July 21 , 2010

Meade County receives largest grant in state, nearly 1/2 a mil

Meade County Waste and Recycling received one of 48 grants from the “Kentucky Pride Fund,” a state venture of the Energy and Environment Cabinet Division of Waste Management. The $481,081 grant – the largest in the state – will allow the county to upgrade and expand its recycling program.

Meade County entered into interlocal agreements with Breckinridge and Hancock counties, and will serve as a small “regional” recycling facility. Meade will distribute $233,192 of the grant to Breckinridge, $49,728 to Hancock, and and $32,670 to Irvington.

Upon upgrades and construction, the center can now purchase a “single stream” conveyor belt. The belt would allow the center to sort various types of recyclables at the same time, versus the current method of preseparation.

Moving to a single-stream system would be one more step towards offering curbside recycling in Meade County, said center director Mark Gossett, during the last board meeting.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Gossett explained. “This is exciting, and it’s a pretty big deal for us. All told, it’s a win-win situation.”

The state grant does require a 25 percent matching contribution from the county. According to Gossett, the center would likely use “in-kind” adjustments as well (like labor for a building) to help defray the county’s 25 percent match.

Kentucky Pride is funded with a $1.75 tax, collected for each ton of municipal solid waste disposed of in Kentucky landfills, with a goal to expand recycling, better manage hazardous waste, and reduce the amount of waste in landfills. Its grants this year totaled over $3.5 million.

Last year, Gossett estimates they processed a total of 750 tons of recyclables, up from 600,000 tons the previous year.

“Recycling and managing household hazardous waste play a large part in Kentucky’s efforts to go green and conserve energy statewide,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “The hazardous waste grants allow homeowners to safely dispose of chemicals and other materials that pose a threat to human health and the environment.”

“Our commonwealth’s growing interest in recycling is evident from the addition of eight first-time recycling grant applicants,” said Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters. “This program is increasing the infrastructure that allows more Kentuckians to participate in the recycling, reduction, and reuse of materials we have on hand, thereby reducing our need for virgin materials and lessening our carbon footprint.”

Gossett said he planned on visiting other single-stream centers in Somerset and Woodford County for design ideas.

The project must be completed by June 30, 2011.

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