Berkshire Communities Awarded Recycling and Waste Reduction Grants

08:09AM / Monday, November 24, 2025Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced more than $4 million in Sustainable Materials Recovery Program grants to 280 municipalities and regional collaboratives to help communities maximize recycling, composting and waste reduction.

"These grants support our communities, expand recycling and composting efforts, and target new materials to remove from the waste stream," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "We are committed to ensuring our cities and towns have the resources they need to become more sustainable and achieve their goals of reducing disposal costs and the amount of waste in our landfills."

In Berkshire County:

Recycling Dividends Program (Total: $87,060.00)

Adams: $6,000.00
Becket: $3,360.00
Dalton: $6,000.00
Egremont: $3,360.00
Great Barrington: $420.00
Hancock: $2,100.00
Hinsdale: $3,780.00
Lee: $2,520.00
New Marlborough: $1,680.00
Otis: $1,680.00
Peru: $3,360.00
Pittsfield: $21,000.00
Plainfield: $7,800.00
Richmond: $1,260.00
Sandisfield: $840.00
Savoy: $3,780.00
Sheffield: $3,780.00
Stockbridge: $1,260.00
Washington: $420.00
Williamstown: $7,200.00
Windsor: $6,600.00

Reuse Swap Shop (Total: $18,000.00)

Becket: $6,000.00
Cheshire: $6,000.00
Otis: $6,000.00

Food Waste Collection Systems - Drop-off (Total: $6,000.00)

Great Barrington: $3,000.00
New Marlborough: $3,000.00

Cardboard Compactor (Total: $10,000.00)

Washington: $10,000.00

Source-separated Glass Container (Total: $8,000.00)

Great Barrington: $8,000.00

Regional Small-Scale Initiatives (Total: $1,500.00)

Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District (NBSWMD): $1,500.00

MassDEP's Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) provides funding for recycling, composting, reuse, and source reduction activities that decrease the amount of waste disposed of in landfills and incinerators. In addition to minimizing solid waste, SMRP projects boost resiliency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing the embodied energy in everyday products and packaging materials for conversion into new products.

More than $60 million has been awarded through SMRP since 2010. This year, awards are being granted through six programs that operate under the SMRP umbrella: the Recycling Dividends Program, Regional Small-scale Initiatives, Drop-off Recycling Equipment, Food Waste Collection Carts, Pay-As-You-Throw, and Waste Reduction projects.

The Recycling Dividends Program supports municipal policies and programs proven to maximize materials reuse and recycling, as well as waste reduction. This year, 271 communities will receive awards totaling nearly $2.95 million.

Additional grant funds are being awarded to support start-up incentives for Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) waste reduction programs, wheeled carts for the curbside collection of residential food waste, recycling equipment for targeted materials at a municipal recycling drop-off or transfer station ("facility"), and regional small-scale initiatives to support regional entities working with multiple municipalities.

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.

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