BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) today announced $140,126 in microgrants awarded to organizations, municipalities and academic institutions focused on reducing waste generation and prolonging the lifespan of products by offering donation, rescue, reuse and repair services across the state.

 

In Berkshire County Berkshire Environmental Action Team was awarded $9,440 and Goodwill Industries of the Berkshires and Southern Vermont, Inc. was awarded $9,625.

 

The funding, awarded through MassDEP’s Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant Program, is given to projects that provide innovative and impactful ways to curb waste and keep products in use through donation, rescue, reuse and repair. Approximately 74 percent of the awarded projects will serve environmental justice communities.

 

"Reducing the amount of waste we produce – by reusing, repairing, rescuing, and donating what we already have – has the biggest direct impact on our ability to meet our waste reduction goals," said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. "Funding these projects ensures we have the infrastructure to tackle waste reduction right here in Massachusetts."

 

The funding awarded by the Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant Program helps cover the costs associated with developing and implementing reuse and repair projects that lead to waste reduction, including equipment, tracking software, and training. Grants are awarded across the public, private, nonprofit and educational services sectors. Recipients were selected through an evaluation process that scored applications based on need, innovation, feasibility, sustainability and impact.