MassDEP updates recycling market development plan

In February, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection released a revised Recycling Market Development Action Plan.

The plan is one effort among many articulated in the state’s Solid Waste Master Plan to help the Commonwealth reduce disposal tonnage by 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 (based on 2018 standards).

The Recycling Market Development Action Plan identifies and prioritizes markets in need of investment to meet these waste reduction goals and spark development in key areas.

The plan’s three main sections include:
1. Business support and economic development strategies to expand recycling market infrastructure
2. Strategies to build demand for recycled products
3. Research and development strategies for products, equipment and technologies

The plan identifies the following items in need of additional support:
• Grant and loan funding to support recyclers
• Business planning guidance
• Workforce development and job training programs
• Strategies to reduce contamination
• Sorting and processing equipment improvements
• Products and packaging designed for reuse or recyclability

To address these concerns, the MassDEP has identified short-, medium- and long-term actions, some of which are already being implemented.

One commitment for future action includes the development of municipal pilot programs focused on better use of construction-related materials. Another highlights the need for the MassDEP to engage with the Legislature on potential strategies to build demand for products that are more easily recyclable or contain higher recycled content.

The Recycling Market Development Plan is intended to help ensure that the MassDEP has the support and resources needed for the state to achieve its waste reduction goals.

The action plan is available on the MassDEP Recycling Market Development Workgroup website.