[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 111 (Thursday, June 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35197-35200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12458]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0375, FRL-9841-01-OLEM]


Recycling Education and Outreach; Grant Program and Model 
Recycling Program Toolkit; Request for Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Request for Information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: EPA is developing and implementing several new programs as 
directed by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also 
referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This action provides 
the public with the opportunity to share information to inform the 
development of both the Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach grant 
program and the Model Recycling Program Toolkit. The education and 
outreach grants will fund programs to improve the effectiveness of 
residential and community recycling programs, including those that 
tackle waste prevention, through public education and outreach. The 
Model Recycling Program Toolkit is for state, local, and tribal 
governments to use in carrying out their programs. The Office of 
Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) within the EPA is seeking 
information about effective strategies to reach consumers and encourage 
them to engage in activities that reduce the generation of waste, 
improve effective recycling, and reduce contamination in the recycling 
stream. Information from a wide range of stakeholders involved in the 
recycling system is encouraged, including but not limited to industry, 
researchers, academia, state, tribal, and local governments including 
U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, other federal agencies, 
community groups, non-governmental organizations, the public and 
international organizations.

DATES: Written comments and information must be received on or before 
July 25, 2022. Information about these feedback sessions also will be 
included in EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Newsletter. To 
subscribe go to https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/forms/stay-connected.

ADDRESSES: EPA invites submission of the requested information through 
one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting your 
comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0375.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: EPA Docket Center, WJC West 
Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004. 
The Docket Center's hours of operations are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., 
Monday-Friday (except Federal Holidays).
    Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from 
Regulations.gov. EPA may publish any comment received to its public 
docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, 
video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. For additional 
submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information 
about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making 
effective comments, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0375 for this notice. Comments received may be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov/, including any 
personal information provided. For detailed instructions on sending 
comments see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning this 
document, contact Mya Sjogren, Resource Conservation and Sustainability 
Division, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Mail Code 5306T, 
Washington, DC 20460; Telephone: (202) 566-0253; Email: 
[email protected]. For more information on this action please visit 
https://www.epa.gov/rcra/infrastructure.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

    Response to this RFI is voluntary. Responses to this RFI may be 
submitted by a single party or by a team. Respondents should respond to 
this RFI in a Microsoft Word (.docx) file or Adobe PDF (.pdf) file. 
This document should contain the following:
     Two clearly delineated sections: (1) Cover page with 
company name and

[[Page 35198]]

contact information; and (2) responses should indicate which topic and 
specific questions are being addressed.
     1-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides).
     Times New Roman and 12-point font.
    Comments containing references, studies, research, and other 
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies or 
electronic links of the referenced materials. No confidential and/or 
business proprietary information, copyrighted information, or 
personally identifiable information should be submitted in response to 
this RFI. Privacy Note: All comments received from members of the 
public will be available for public viewing on Regulations.gov. In 
accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to this notice are not offers 
and cannot be accepted by the federal government to form a binding 
contract. Additionally, those submitting responses are solely 
responsible for all expenses associated with response preparation.

II. General Information

A. What is the purpose of this RFI?

    Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58), 
also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is directed to 
develop several new solid waste recycling programs. This RFI covers the 
following activities established by the law:
     Establishing a grant program to fund improvements to the 
effectiveness of residential and community recycling programs, 
including those that tackle waste prevention, through public education 
and outreach.
     Developing a model recycling program toolkit to assist 
states, tribes, and local governments to inform the public about 
residential waste prevention (e.g., source reduction, reuse, 
refurbishment, repair, composting) and residential or community 
recycling programs to improve collection rates and decrease 
contamination.
    This RFI seeks information from a broad array of stakeholders such 
as industry, researchers, academia, state, territories, local, and 
tribal governments, other federal agencies, community groups, non-
governmental organizations, the public, international organizations, 
and all other stakeholders involved in education and outreach to 
consumers and communities on waste prevention, recycling, and 
composting. EPA is seeking information about effective strategies to 
reach consumers and encourage them to engage in activities that reduce 
the generation of waste, improve effective recycling, and reduce 
contamination in the recycling stream.
    This RFI is part of a series of RFIs EPA will be issuing to inform 
the development of new programs under the Bipartisan Infrastructure 
Law. Other RFIs that are related include those on the Solid Waste 
Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program and the Development of Best 
Practices for Collection of Batteries to be Recycled and Voluntary 
Battery Labeling Guidelines.

III. Background

    In 2018, approximately 292 million tons of municipal solid waste 
(MSW) were generated in the United States, of which approximately 69 
million tons were mechanically recycled and 25 million tons were 
composted. Together, 32.1 percent of MSW (about 94 million tons) was 
mechanically recycled or composted, preventing over 193 million metric 
tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from entering the atmosphere (U.S. 
EPA, 2020a). The National Recycling Strategy (https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy), which is part one of a series on building a 
circular economy for all, is focused on enhancing and advancing the 
national municipal solid waste recycling system. The U.S. MSW recycling 
system currently faces several challenges, including confusion about 
what materials can be recycled and how the contamination of recycled 
materials results in those materials being sent to landfills. 
Environmental benefits of advancing the U.S. recycling system include 
decreasing pollution and conserving energy. Preventing waste and 
increasing recycling reduces climate, environmental, and social impacts 
(pollution, health, economics) of materials use, and keeps valuable 
resources in use instead of in landfills.
    The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $15 million per year for 
five years in funding for ORCR to administer the Consumer Recycling 
Education and Outreach grant program. The funding provided through 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a critical opportunity for ORCR to 
fund a range of high-impact projects to increase recycling, reduce 
contamination in the recycling stream, and promote a circular economy 
for sustainable materials management by informing the public about 
residential or community recycling programs, providing information and 
guidance about the materials that are accepted as part of these 
recycling programs and overall increase collection rates and decrease 
contamination in the recycling stream.
    Eligible entities include a state; a unit of local government; an 
Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); a Native Hawaiian 
organization (as defined in section 6207 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517)); the Department of 
Hawaiian Home Lands; the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; a nonprofit 
organization; or a public-private partnership.
    Materials within the scope of this request include commonly 
recycled and reused materials, such as aluminum, glass, paper and 
plastics, as well as food, organics (yard waste, tree trimmings, wood, 
etc.), textiles, electronics and construction and demolition materials. 
Biosolids, hazardous waste and industrial wastes such as coal 
combustion residuals or slag are not within the scope of this request. 
Landfilling and incineration or combustion are not considered recycling 
and are not within the scope of this request.
    Grant funds may be used for activities including public service 
announcements; door-to-door education and outreach campaigns; social 
media and digital outreach; an advertising campaign on recycling 
awareness; the development and dissemination of specific toolkits for a 
municipal and commercial recycling program, information on the 
importance of quality in the recycling stream and the economic and 
environmental benefits of recycling; and information on what happens to 
materials after the materials are placed into a residential or 
community recycling program; businesses recycling outreach; bin, cart, 
and other receptacle labeling and signs; and other education and 
outreach activities that are appropriate to improve recycling and 
reduce contamination, such as reducing waste and reusing, repairing, 
and refurbishing materials before they enter the recycling system.
    In addition to the grants, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 
requires the development of a toolkit, which will, at a minimum, 
include the following information; a standardized set of terms and 
examples to describe materials that are accepted by a residential 
recycling program; information that can be widely applied across 
residential recycling programs; best practices for the collection and 
processing of recycled materials; a community self-assessment guide to 
identify gaps in existing recycling programs; training modules that 
enable States and nonprofit organizations to

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provide technical assistance to units of local government; access to 
consumer educational materials that states, tribes, and units of local 
government can adapt and use in recycling programs; a guide to measure 
the outcomes or effectiveness of a grant received under the Education 
and Outreach grant program, including standardized measurements for 
recycling rates and decreases in contamination in the recycling stream.
    EPA will not consider responses to this RFI to be proposals for 
financial assistance projects or unsolicited requests for financial 
assistance. Do not include confidential business information or other 
privileged material in responses. Additionally, those submitting 
responses are solely responsible for all expenses associated with 
response preparation. Information gathered through this RFI may be used 
to inform potential strategies for supporting and improving state, 
territorial, tribal, and local recycling operations. ORCR welcomes 
comments from all stakeholders.

IV. Request for Information

    Over the course of 2022, ORCR will be hosting virtual meetings 
across the country with interested stakeholders to inform the 
development of the new programs established by the Bipartisan 
Infrastructure Law. This RFI and the other RFIs aim to supplement those 
planned consultations and provide all interested individuals and 
organizations with the opportunity to share their perspectives on 
barriers and opportunities related to consumer recycling education and 
outreach to improve waste prevention, increase recycling and reduce 
contamination in the recycling stream. Specifically, when thinking 
about consumer recycling education and outreach of post-consumer 
materials management, include the recovery, reuse, recycle, repair, 
and/or refurbishment of MSW and construction and demolition materials, 
and composting.
    ORCR is seeking examples of evaluations and evidence-based 
messaging and strategies associated with effective communication 
campaigns. ORCR is interested in perspectives on the following topics 
to inform the Recycling Education and Outreach Program Grant Program 
and the Model Recycling Program Toolkit:
     Standardized Terminology: What are some of the 
standardized terms and examples that may be used to describe materials 
that are accepted by a residential recycling program?
     Information on Residential Recycling: What are other kinds 
of standardized information that can be applied across residential 
recycling program, taking into consideration the differences in 
recycled materials that are accepted by residential recycling programs.
     Education and Outreach Best Practices: EPA is creating a 
toolkit to help communities with their education and outreach related 
to recycling.
    [cir] Do you have examples of education and outreach programs, 
materials or approaches to improve recycling, source reduction, 
recycling, recovering, reusing, repairing, or refurbishing that are 
associated with demonstrated results?
    [cir] Can you direct us to any specific examples of useful consumer 
educational materials or other content that states, tribes, and units 
of local government can adapt and use in recycling programs? What were 
the associated impacts and costs (financial, staff, and/or other 
resources) of the effective programs?
    [cir] For communities without recycling programs, with low 
recycling rates, or high contamination rates in the recycling stream 
(i.e., plastic bags), what specific education and outreach efforts 
would assist communities? What kinds of technical assistance from EPA 
(i.e., webinars, tools, strategies, case studies, community-based 
messaging, toolkit implementation) would help these communities?
    [cir] What are some model programs with evidence in raising 
awareness of available source reduction options to residents for 
materials, such as food waste, yard waste, textiles, plastics, etc.
     Training Modules: Do you have examples of training modules 
that will enable States and nonprofit organizations to provide 
technical assistance to units of local government?
     Consumer Education Materials: Do you have examples of 
consumer educational materials that States, Tribes, and units of local 
government can adapt and use in recycling programs?
     Grant Effectiveness: Do you have examples of how to 
measure the effectiveness of a recycling grant program, including 
standardized measures for recycling rates and contamination rates?
     Measuring Effective Communication: What types of messaging 
and communication channels (PSAs, door-to-door campaigns, social media, 
posters, etc.) have resulted in significant program improvements to 
waste diversion, recycling, or composting? Improvements might include 
increases in community recycling or composting rates, decreases in 
recycling or composting stream contamination, increases in the number 
of people participating in the recycling program overall or in a 
particular demographic, for example. Additionally, please provide 
examples, where possible, of program evaluations and/or evidence-based 
messaging results in carrying out effective communication campaigns.
     Identifying Local Conditions: What barriers exist for 
consumers to reduce, recycle, recover, reuse, repair, or refurbish in 
your state, territory, tribe, local government, or community? What 
resources are needed to overcome those barriers? What motivators have 
been identified for consumers to reduce, recycle, recover, reuse, 
repair, or refurbish in your state, territory, tribe, local government, 
or community?
     Costs and Workplans: What are some examples of outreach 
and education programs or studies, and associated estimated costs, that 
have demonstrated results in improving a recycling program in a 
community? What is the cost of an effective one-year education and 
outreach behavior change campaign for your state, territory, tribe, 
local government, or community? Do your recycling programs or 
initiatives target any specific materials, and if so, why?
     Identifying Community Needs for Improvement: For 
communities without recycling programs, with low recycling rates, or 
high contamination rates in the recycling stream, what specific 
education and outreach efforts would assist communities? What kinds of 
technical assistance from EPA (i.e., webinars, tools, strategies, case 
studies, community-based messaging, toolkit implementation) would help 
these communities?
     Formative Evaluation, Pre- and Post-testing, Piloting: 
What are examples of recycling education and outreach campaigns that 
have conducted formative research, pre- and post-testing, or piloting a 
new initiative with an associated evaluation? What skills or knowledge 
were needed to effectively conduct the formative evaluation and/or pre- 
and post-testing? What could EPA provide in its Model Recycling Program 
Toolkit to help communities evaluate their pilots or projects?
     Serving Specific Communities: What are examples of 
initiatives or efforts around source reduction, recovery, reuse, 
repair, refurbish, or recycling, that focus on supporting overburdened 
and underserved communities, rural communities, communities with 
environmental justice concerns, and/or Tribes and territories? How are 
those programs addressing

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overburdened and underserved communities? What additional actions or 
investment have overburdened and underserved communities expressed a 
need for?
     Current Stakeholder Education and Outreach Programs: Does 
your community currently have an outreach and education program to 
support and encourage recycling? If so, what are the elements of the 
program and how is it funded? If you have a program, how do you 
continue to engage the community beyond when the program has been 
implemented?
     Other Feedback: What suggestions should EPA consider while 
developing the Recycling Education and Outreach grant program and Model 
Recycling Program Toolkit? Based on the legislative language,\1\ are 
there projects that you believe would be eligible in the Education and 
Outreach grant program, but have not been mentioned?
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    \1\ H.R. 3684--Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Section 
70402. Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program. 
www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/text.
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V. Disclaimer and Important Note

    This RFI is issued solely for information, research and planning 
purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a 
Request for Applications (RFA). Any information obtained as a result of 
this RFI is intended to be used by EPA on a non-attribution basis to 
support EPA's efforts to develop the Recycling Education and Outreach--
Grant Program and Model Recycling Program Toolkit. This RFI does not 
constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or abstracts. Your 
response to this notice will be treated as information only. EPA will 
review and consider all responses in its development of the grant 
program and toolkit that are the subject of this request. This RFI does 
not represent any award commitment on the part of EPA, nor does it 
obligate EPA to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and 
submission of any responses.

    Dated: June 3, 2022.
Carolyn Hoskinson,
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
[FR Doc. 2022-12458 Filed 6-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P