MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is offering a total of $50,000 in grants to make the disposal of old electronics more accessible in the state.
Applications are now open for the DNR’s E-Cycle Wisconsin Electronics Collection Grant for those hoping to organize a collection event or site over the next year.
Electronics have been banned from the trash since 2010 when a new law went into effect in Wisconsin. E-Cycle Wisconsin, a program managed by the DNR and funded by manufacturers, was also created at that time. Since then, the program has recycled more than 370 million pounds of electronics in the state.
E-cycling sites are sparse in some parts of the state, though, leading the DNR to offer priority for funding to e-cycling efforts in Florence, Forest, Iron and Marquette counties — all of which do not have a permanent collection site registered under E-Cycle Wisconsin and did not have a registered collection event last year.
The grants being offered by the DNR carry a maximum award of $5,000 per collection event or $10,000 per permanent collection site. Last June, the DNR awarded a total of $87,000 in grants to 15 e-cycling projects in 13 counties.
“Our first round of grants was really successful, and we’re excited to help more rural communities offer electronics collection to their residents,” DNR E-Cycle Wisconsin Coordinator Sarah Murray said in a statement Thursday. “Our goal is to make convenient, affordable electronics recycling available statewide.”
The deadline to apply for grant funding is 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17. If you’re interested in applying, you can find the application here on the DNR’s website.
You can find an interactive map of e-cycling locations and programs near you here.
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