Winchester Delegation Announces $7,800 Grant to Support Recycling

BOSTON—Senator Jason Lewis, Senator Patricia Jehlen, and Representative Michael Day applauded the recent announcement that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) awarded the Town of Winchester $7,800 through their Sustainable Materials Recovery Program. This would not have been possible without Winchester’s Transfer Station Manager, Nick Parlee, who coordinated the grant efforts.

Due to the Transfer Station’s forward thinking and hard work, the town may use Sustainable Materials Recovery Program grant funding to improve local recycling, composting, reuse, and household hazardous waste diversion programs. New to the program this year, grantees were encouraged to consider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in their trash and recycling programs.

"I'm pleased to see Winchester receiving this state grant to help support the community's recycling and waste reduction efforts," said Senator Jason Lewis. "As the co-founder and Senate Chair of the state legislature's Zero Waste Caucus, I'm committed to doing everything we can to support efforts at the local and state levels to reduce solid waste, especially single-use plastics that are harming our environment and public health."

"I am happy to see funding go towards such an important program that will make participation easier and more accessible for people in Winchester," said Senator Patricia Jehlen. "Being part of the Zero Waste Caucus, I am committed to supporting legislation to continue the crucial work of reducing waste."

“This grant will help our town to continue our recycling and waste reduction innovations,” said Representative Michael Day. “We are all in this effort to curb our waste output, and programs like this will further incentivize the implementation of new ways to accomplish this.”

The SMRP has awarded more than $50 million in grants since the program’s creation in 2010.