MDEQ Awards Solid Waste Assistance Grants to Jackson

(Jackson, Miss.) — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) awarded the City of Jackson a solid waste assistance grant of $75,000 that will be used by the city for its Environmental Service Center and the collection of household hazardous waste. The center is located at the corner of Highway 80 and Terry Road.

The city also received a $75,000 two-year waste tire grant to continue the local waste tire collection program for small quantity generators of waste tires.

“The Solid Waste Assistance Grants support a variety of useful solid waste management activities for cities and counties, and this grant will assist Jackson’s efforts in improving their management of solid waste,” said Gary Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director.

Cities and counties may apply for Solid Waste Assistance Grants through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. These grants are used by local communities for programs to prevent and clean up unauthorized dumps; to aid in hiring local solid waste enforcement officers; for public education efforts on solid waste disposal and recycling; and to establish programs for the collection of white goods, bulky wastes and recyclables.

Funding for waste tire grants is provided by a waste tire account funded from a fee charged on the wholesale sale of every new motor vehicle tire sold in Mississippi. This fee provides the funds to ensure and encourage the proper management and disposal of waste tires.

Information about this grant program and other initiatives is available at www.deq.state.ms.us/solidwaste.

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