Notice2022-12458
Recycling Education and Outreach; Grant Program and Model Recycling Program Toolkit; Request for Information
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Published
June 9, 2022
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
EPA is developing and implementing several new programs as directed by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This action provides the public with the opportunity to share information to inform the development of both the Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach grant program and the Model Recycling Program Toolkit. The education and outreach grants will fund programs to improve the effectiveness of residential and community recycling programs, including those that tackle waste prevention, through public education and outreach. The Model Recycling Program Toolkit is for state, local, and tribal governments to use in carrying out their programs. The Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) within the EPA is seeking information about effective strategies to reach consumers and encourage them to engage in activities that reduce the generation of waste, improve effective recycling, and reduce contamination in the recycling stream. Information from a wide range of stakeholders involved in the recycling system is encouraged, including but not limited to industry, researchers, academia, state, tribal, and local governments including U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, other federal agencies, community groups, non-governmental organizations, the public and international organizations.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 111 (Thursday, June 9, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 111 (Thursday, June 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35197-35200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12458]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0375, FRL-9841-01-OLEM]
Recycling Education and Outreach; Grant Program and Model
Recycling Program Toolkit; Request for Information
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Request for Information (RFI).
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SUMMARY: EPA is developing and implementing several new programs as
directed by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also
referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This action provides
the public with the opportunity to share information to inform the
development of both the Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach grant
program and the Model Recycling Program Toolkit. The education and
outreach grants will fund programs to improve the effectiveness of
residential and community recycling programs, including those that
tackle waste prevention, through public education and outreach. The
Model Recycling Program Toolkit is for state, local, and tribal
governments to use in carrying out their programs. The Office of
Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) within the EPA is seeking
information about effective strategies to reach consumers and encourage
them to engage in activities that reduce the generation of waste,
improve effective recycling, and reduce contamination in the recycling
stream. Information from a wide range of stakeholders involved in the
recycling system is encouraged, including but not limited to industry,
researchers, academia, state, tribal, and local governments including
U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, other federal agencies,
community groups, non-governmental organizations, the public and
international organizations.
DATES: Written comments and information must be received on or before
July 25, 2022. Information about these feedback sessions also will be
included in EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Newsletter. To
subscribe go to <a href="https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/forms/stay-connected">https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/forms/stay-connected</a>.
ADDRESSES: EPA invites submission of the requested information through
one of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the online instructions for submitting your
comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0375.
<bullet> Hand Delivery or Courier: EPA Docket Center, WJC West
Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004.
The Docket Center's hours of operations are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,
Monday-Friday (except Federal Holidays).
Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from
<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>. EPA may publish any comment received to its public
docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio,
video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. For additional
submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information
about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making
effective comments, please visit <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets">https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets</a>.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0375 for this notice. Comments received may be
posted without change to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>, including any
personal information provided. For detailed instructions on sending
comments see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning this
document, contact Mya Sjogren, Resource Conservation and Sustainability
Division, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Mail Code 5306T,
Washington, DC 20460; Telephone: (202) 566-0253; Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#95c7f0f6ecf6f9fcfbf2d0f1d5f0e5f4bbf2fae3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="471522243e242b2e292002230722372669202831">[email protected]</span></a>. For more information on this action please visit
<a href="https://www.epa.gov/rcra/infrastructure">https://www.epa.gov/rcra/infrastructure</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Participation
Response to this RFI is voluntary. Responses to this RFI may be
submitted by a single party or by a team. Respondents should respond to
this RFI in a Microsoft Word (.docx) file or Adobe PDF (.pdf) file.
This document should contain the following:
<bullet> Two clearly delineated sections: (1) Cover page with
company name and
[[Page 35198]]
contact information; and (2) responses should indicate which topic and
specific questions are being addressed.
<bullet> 1-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides).
<bullet> Times New Roman and 12-point font.
Comments containing references, studies, research, and other
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies or
electronic links of the referenced materials. No confidential and/or
business proprietary information, copyrighted information, or
personally identifiable information should be submitted in response to
this RFI. Privacy Note: All comments received from members of the
public will be available for public viewing on <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>. In
accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to this notice are not offers
and cannot be accepted by the federal government to form a binding
contract. Additionally, those submitting responses are solely
responsible for all expenses associated with response preparation.
II. General Information
A. What is the purpose of this RFI?
Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58),
also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is directed to
develop several new solid waste recycling programs. This RFI covers the
following activities established by the law:
<bullet> Establishing a grant program to fund improvements to the
effectiveness of residential and community recycling programs,
including those that tackle waste prevention, through public education
and outreach.
<bullet> Developing a model recycling program toolkit to assist
states, tribes, and local governments to inform the public about
residential waste prevention (e.g., source reduction, reuse,
refurbishment, repair, composting) and residential or community
recycling programs to improve collection rates and decrease
contamination.
This RFI seeks information from a broad array of stakeholders such
as industry, researchers, academia, state, territories, local, and
tribal governments, other federal agencies, community groups, non-
governmental organizations, the public, international organizations,
and all other stakeholders involved in education and outreach to
consumers and communities on waste prevention, recycling, and
composting. EPA is seeking information about effective strategies to
reach consumers and encourage them to engage in activities that reduce
the generation of waste, improve effective recycling, and reduce
contamination in the recycling stream.
This RFI is part of a series of RFIs EPA will be issuing to inform
the development of new programs under the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law. Other RFIs that are related include those on the Solid Waste
Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program and the Development of Best
Practices for Collection of Batteries to be Recycled and Voluntary
Battery Labeling Guidelines.
III. Background
In 2018, approximately 292 million tons of municipal solid waste
(MSW) were generated in the United States, of which approximately 69
million tons were mechanically recycled and 25 million tons were
composted. Together, 32.1 percent of MSW (about 94 million tons) was
mechanically recycled or composted, preventing over 193 million metric
tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from entering the atmosphere (U.S.
EPA, 2020a). The National Recycling Strategy (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy">https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy</a>), which is part one of a series on building a
circular economy for all, is focused on enhancing and advancing the
national municipal solid waste recycling system. The U.S. MSW recycling
system currently faces several challenges, including confusion about
what materials can be recycled and how the contamination of recycled
materials results in those materials being sent to landfills.
Environmental benefits of advancing the U.S. recycling system include
decreasing pollution and conserving energy. Preventing waste and
increasing recycling reduces climate, environmental, and social impacts
(pollution, health, economics) of materials use, and keeps valuable
resources in use instead of in landfills.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $15 million per year for
five years in funding for ORCR to administer the Consumer Recycling
Education and Outreach grant program. The funding provided through
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a critical opportunity for ORCR to
fund a range of high-impact projects to increase recycling, reduce
contamination in the recycling stream, and promote a circular economy
for sustainable materials management by informing the public about
residential or community recycling programs, providing information and
guidance about the materials that are accepted as part of these
recycling programs and overall increase collection rates and decrease
contamination in the recycling stream.
Eligible entities include a state; a unit of local government; an
Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); a Native Hawaiian
organization (as defined in section 6207 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517)); the Department of
Hawaiian Home Lands; the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; a nonprofit
organization; or a public-private partnership.
Materials within the scope of this request include commonly
recycled and reused materials, such as aluminum, glass, paper and
plastics, as well as food, organics (yard waste, tree trimmings, wood,
etc.), textiles, electronics and construction and demolition materials.
Biosolids, hazardous waste and industrial wastes such as coal
combustion residuals or slag are not within the scope of this request.
Landfilling and incineration or combustion are not considered recycling
and are not within the scope of this request.
Grant funds may be used for activities including public service
announcements; door-to-door education and outreach campaigns; social
media and digital outreach; an advertising campaign on recycling
awareness; the development and dissemination of specific toolkits for a
municipal and commercial recycling program, information on the
importance of quality in the recycling stream and the economic and
environmental benefits of recycling; and information on what happens to
materials after the materials are placed into a residential or
community recycling program; businesses recycling outreach; bin, cart,
and other receptacle labeling and signs; and other education and
outreach activities that are appropriate to improve recycling and
reduce contamination, such as reducing waste and reusing, repairing,
and refurbishing materials before they enter the recycling system.
In addition to the grants, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
requires the development of a toolkit, which will, at a minimum,
include the following information; a standardized set of terms and
examples to describe materials that are accepted by a residential
recycling program; information that can be widely applied across
residential recycling programs; best practices for the collection and
processing of recycled materials; a community self-assessment guide to
identify gaps in existing recycling programs; training modules that
enable States and nonprofit organizations to
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provide technical assistance to units of local government; access to
consumer educational materials that states, tribes, and units of local
government can adapt and use in recycling programs; a guide to measure
the outcomes or effectiveness of a grant received under the Education
and Outreach grant program, including standardized measurements for
recycling rates and decreases in contamination in the recycling stream.
EPA will not consider responses to this RFI to be proposals for
financial assistance projects or unsolicited requests for financial
assistance. Do not include confidential business information or other
privileged material in responses. Additionally, those submitting
responses are solely responsible for all expenses associated with
response preparation. Information gathered through this RFI may be used
to inform potential strategies for supporting and improving state,
territorial, tribal, and local recycling operations. ORCR welcomes
comments from all stakeholders.
IV. Request for Information
Over the course of 2022, ORCR will be hosting virtual meetings
across the country with interested stakeholders to inform the
development of the new programs established by the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law. This RFI and the other RFIs aim to supplement those
planned consultations and provide all interested individuals and
organizations with the opportunity to share their perspectives on
barriers and opportunities related to consumer recycling education and
outreach to improve waste prevention, increase recycling and reduce
contamination in the recycling stream. Specifically, when thinking
about consumer recycling education and outreach of post-consumer
materials management, include the recovery, reuse, recycle, repair,
and/or refurbishment of MSW and construction and demolition materials,
and composting.
ORCR is seeking examples of evaluations and evidence-based
messaging and strategies associated with effective communication
campaigns. ORCR is interested in perspectives on the following topics
to inform the Recycling Education and Outreach Program Grant Program
and the Model Recycling Program Toolkit:
<bullet> Standardized Terminology: What are some of the
standardized terms and examples that may be used to describe materials
that are accepted by a residential recycling program?
<bullet> Information on Residential Recycling: What are other kinds
of standardized information that can be applied across residential
recycling program, taking into consideration the differences in
recycled materials that are accepted by residential recycling programs.
<bullet> Education and Outreach Best Practices: EPA is creating a
toolkit to help communities with their education and outreach related
to recycling.
[cir] Do you have examples of education and outreach programs,
materials or approaches to improve recycling, source reduction,
recycling, recovering, reusing, repairing, or refurbishing that are
associated with demonstrated results?
[cir] Can you direct us to any specific examples of useful consumer
educational materials or other content that states, tribes, and units
of local government can adapt and use in recycling programs? What were
the associated impacts and costs (financial, staff, and/or other
resources) of the effective programs?
[cir] For communities without recycling programs, with low
recycling rates, or high contamination rates in the recycling stream
(i.e., plastic bags), what specific education and outreach efforts
would assist communities? What kinds of technical assistance from EPA
(i.e., webinars, tools, strategies, case studies, community-based
messaging, toolkit implementation) would help these communities?
[cir] What are some model programs with evidence in raising
awareness of available source reduction options to residents for
materials, such as food waste, yard waste, textiles, plastics, etc.
<bullet> Training Modules: Do you have examples of training modules
that will enable States and nonprofit organizations to provide
technical assistance to units of local government?
<bullet> Consumer Education Materials: Do you have examples of
consumer educational materials that States, Tribes, and units of local
government can adapt and use in recycling programs?
<bullet> Grant Effectiveness: Do you have examples of how to
measure the effectiveness of a recycling grant program, including
standardized measures for recycling rates and contamination rates?
<bullet> Measuring Effective Communication: What types of messaging
and communication channels (PSAs, door-to-door campaigns, social media,
posters, etc.) have resulted in significant program improvements to
waste diversion, recycling, or composting? Improvements might include
increases in community recycling or composting rates, decreases in
recycling or composting stream contamination, increases in the number
of people participating in the recycling program overall or in a
particular demographic, for example. Additionally, please provide
examples, where possible, of program evaluations and/or evidence-based
messaging results in carrying out effective communication campaigns.
<bullet> Identifying Local Conditions: What barriers exist for
consumers to reduce, recycle, recover, reuse, repair, or refurbish in
your state, territory, tribe, local government, or community? What
resources are needed to overcome those barriers? What motivators have
been identified for consumers to reduce, recycle, recover, reuse,
repair, or refurbish in your state, territory, tribe, local government,
or community?
<bullet> Costs and Workplans: What are some examples of outreach
and education programs or studies, and associated estimated costs, that
have demonstrated results in improving a recycling program in a
community? What is the cost of an effective one-year education and
outreach behavior change campaign for your state, territory, tribe,
local government, or community? Do your recycling programs or
initiatives target any specific materials, and if so, why?
<bullet> Identifying Community Needs for Improvement: For
communities without recycling programs, with low recycling rates, or
high contamination rates in the recycling stream, what specific
education and outreach efforts would assist communities? What kinds of
technical assistance from EPA (i.e., webinars, tools, strategies, case
studies, community-based messaging, toolkit implementation) would help
these communities?
<bullet> Formative Evaluation, Pre- and Post-testing, Piloting:
What are examples of recycling education and outreach campaigns that
have conducted formative research, pre- and post-testing, or piloting a
new initiative with an associated evaluation? What skills or knowledge
were needed to effectively conduct the formative evaluation and/or pre-
and post-testing? What could EPA provide in its Model Recycling Program
Toolkit to help communities evaluate their pilots or projects?
<bullet> Serving Specific Communities: What are examples of
initiatives or efforts around source reduction, recovery, reuse,
repair, refurbish, or recycling, that focus on supporting overburdened
and underserved communities, rural communities, communities with
environmental justice concerns, and/or Tribes and territories? How are
those programs addressing
[[Page 35200]]
overburdened and underserved communities? What additional actions or
investment have overburdened and underserved communities expressed a
need for?
<bullet> Current Stakeholder Education and Outreach Programs: Does
your community currently have an outreach and education program to
support and encourage recycling? If so, what are the elements of the
program and how is it funded? If you have a program, how do you
continue to engage the community beyond when the program has been
implemented?
<bullet> Other Feedback: What suggestions should EPA consider while
developing the Recycling Education and Outreach grant program and Model
Recycling Program Toolkit? Based on the legislative language,\1\ are
there projects that you believe would be eligible in the Education and
Outreach grant program, but have not been mentioned?
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\1\ H.R. 3684--Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Section
70402. Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program.
<a href="http://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/text">www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/text</a>.
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V. Disclaimer and Important Note
This RFI is issued solely for information, research and planning
purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a
Request for Applications (RFA). Any information obtained as a result of
this RFI is intended to be used by EPA on a non-attribution basis to
support EPA's efforts to develop the Recycling Education and Outreach--
Grant Program and Model Recycling Program Toolkit. This RFI does not
constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or abstracts. Your
response to this notice will be treated as information only. EPA will
review and consider all responses in its development of the grant
program and toolkit that are the subject of this request. This RFI does
not represent any award commitment on the part of EPA, nor does it
obligate EPA to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and
submission of any responses.
Dated: June 3, 2022.
Carolyn Hoskinson,
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
[FR Doc. 2022-12458 Filed 6-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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