PA. creates recycling markets center - Municipal Recycling - Brief Article

Recycling Today, Dec, 2003

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell's administration has announced creation of the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (RMC) to encourage the continued growth and economic health of Pennsylvania's recycling industries and to make the state's recycling programs self-sufficient.

"Recycling has become one of the engines that drives Pennsylvania's economy, generating $18.4 billion in annual sales and contributing $305 million in state taxes," Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty says. "This center will assist with developing healthy, accessible markets for Pennsylvania's recycled materials and help producers of recycled-content products overcome long-time market barriers and inefficiencies."

The RMC is the largest and most ambitious aspect of the state's Market Development Program. The mission of the RMC will be to expand and to develop more secure and robust markets for recovered secondary materials, to stimulate demand for products with recycled content and to research up-to-date market trend data. The RMC will be the lead organization for the development of recycling markets in Pennsylvania, providing support to generators, haulers, processors, manufacturers and end-users of recycled materials and products.

DEP is soliciting applications from all nonprofit corporations to establish, support and oversee creation of the RMC. Grant applications must be submitted by March 5, 2004.

The Market Development Program is offering two additional grants for recycling market and composting infrastructure development.

Those seeking more information on Pennsylvania's Recycling Market Development programs can visit www.dep.state.pa.us, keyword: "Market Development."