v=,EPA Investing in America through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program Fact Sheet City of Tacoma Environmental Services Selected Grant Recipient Name: City of Tacoma Environmental Services Project Location: Tacoma, Washington Project Title: The Multilingual Recycling Ambassador Program and Al Cameras EPA Information Region: EPA Region 10 Grant Funding: $1,999,806 The project will use two approaches to reduce contamination in the city's existing recycling services. First, it will use artificial intelligence video technology to provide individualized feedback to large numbers of customers on contamination in their residential recycling bins. Second, Environmental Services will continue to administer and expand the multilingual Community Ambassador Program to educate disadvantaged and underserved communities in the six most spoken languages in Tacoma. This outreach will educate community members about existing environmental services to increase recycling and composting and decrease contamination in recycling and food and yard waste streams. REO Grants The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the largest EPA investment in recycling in 30 years to support National Recycling Strategy implementation and build a circular economy for all. As part of the Investing in America agenda, this funding supports improvements to waste management systems and programs, allowing resources to be used more efficiently and reducing the impact on the climate. REO grant funding can be used to inform the public about residential or community recycling programs, provide information about the recycled materials that are accepted as part of a residential or community recycling program, and increase collection rates and decrease contamination in residential and community recycling programs. These grants also advance the Justice^ Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to communities that have historically been underserved and overburdened by pollution. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also requires that 20% of the grant funding go to communities that are low-income, rural or Native American. EPA will make the award to City of Tacoma Environmental Services once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Other Recycling Grant Funding in Washington Washington SWIFR State Grant Fact Sheet Washington SWIFR Communities Grant Fact Sheet Consumer Recycling Fducation and Outreach Grant Program EPA 530-F-24-005-XX April 2024 Highlights • Conducts outreach in the six most spoken languages in Tacoma to advance environmental justice. • Uses Al to measure contamination. • Increases composting and recycling while decreasing contamination. • Conducts a waste characterization study to evaluate the results of this project. ------- |