New Orleans Hopes $5M in Grants Will Help Improve the City’s 2% Recycling Effort

A pair of grants totaling more than $5 million is inspiring hope among New Orleans leaders that the city will be able to improve its recycling rate.

New Orleans is receiving grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for $4 million, and $1.4 million from The Recycling Partnership. These funds will be used to expand the city’s curbside recycling, replace thousands of busted recycling bins, fund the city’s first-ever solid waste master plan, plus help educate residents about recycling and develop programs that will increase participation.

“We want to talk aspirationally about how we get our very low (recycling) rate up,” said Matt Torri, the city’s sanitation director.

Only 2% of New Orleans’ household waste gets recycled. That rate is less than a tenth of the national average.

“This $3.9 million federal grant will undoubtedly help achieve our goal of increasing recycling rates, expanding our recycling infrastructure and educating the public on the importance of being more environmentally friendly,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

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