Release from Jonathan Larance KDHE Topeka
KDHE Announces Green School Grant Recipients
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Bureau of Waste Management has awarded grants in the amount of $68,702 to twenty six Kansas schools from districts across the state. The grant awards range from $200 to $4,500, the maximum amount eligible under the Green School grant program. These grants are for projects to take place during the 2011–2012 school year and projects include purchasing recycling bins, beginning composting programs for cafeteria waste and field trips to community recycling centers. This marks the fourth round of Waste Management Green School grants.
“These grants to schools not only have the direct benefits of conserving landfill space, natural resources and energy, they teach students lessons that can be practiced at home and for a lifetime,” said Dr. Robert Moser, KDHE Secretary. Lakewood Middle School in Salina recieved a grant of $1,720 for Food & yard waste composting for school garden, new recycling bins in classrooms.
KDHE Announces Tire Recycling Grant Recipients
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Bureau of Waste Management has awarded nearly $350,000 in waste tire recycling grants to municipalities and school districts across the state. Most of the grants will go toward partially funding safe surfacing at playgrounds and picnic tables and benches made from waste tires.
This year’s 24 waste tire recycling grants, ranging from $379 to $89,520, are distributed to recipients across the state. This is the fifth round of the grant program following several years of grants to Kansas tire processors to purchase equipment to process the tires into a usable raw material. The grants are funded through a 25-cent tax paid on the purchase of new tires.
“Over 140,000 waste tires will be recycled to make the products funded by these grants,” explained Bureau of Waste Management Director Bill Bider. “This popular grant program helps local governments and schools purchase high quality, durable products which they may not otherwise be able to buy in today’s times of tight budgets.”
USD 305 Salina will recieve $89,520 for purchase of a pour in place rubber track surface for a 46,233 sq. ft. track at Salina Stadium,