Title
Recycling Partnership Grant Opportunity for Improved Recycling and Programs for Fiscal Year 2021 (Ordinance S-47449)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to retroactively apply for, accept, and enter into an agreement, and disburse grants from The Recycling Partnership through its Polypropylene Recycling Request for Proposal Program to support the purchase of a new polypropylene optical sorter at the North Gateway Material Recovery Facility. Further request to authorize the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item. The City match for grant funds will not exceed $100,000.
Report
Summary
Plastics continue to be a growing component of the national solid waste stream and new recycling markets have developed for certain types of plastics. Polypropylene, commonly known as #5 plastic, is used to make yogurt containers, some drink containers, and to-go containers. Investment in optical sorting technology will increase capture of polypropylene allowing the City to increase diversion of this material from the landfill, access the market for polypropylene, and further efforts to build a circular economy and achieve zero waste by 2050.
The Recycling Partnership is a national non-profit organization that works with local governments, national brands and industry leaders to improve recycling programs. The Recycling Partnership's polypropylene grant aims to improve and increase sortation and capture of polypropylene in recycling programs.
Through the Polypropylene Request for Proposal, the Public Works Department is seeking grant funds up to $450,000 to increase polypropylene capture via improved optical sortation. If awarded, funding will support the purchase of a new polypropylene optical sorter at the North Gateway Material Recovery Facility to replace a nine-year-old system that has limited capture abilities when considering size and capture of polypropylene. Replacement of the system was not critical in the recent North Gateway Material Recovery Facility Upgrade; however, staff would like to leverage use of grant funds to replace the equipment and increase the capture rate of polypropylene to meet changes in the market. The first deadline to be considered for full funding is March 31, 2021.
Financial Impact
The amount requested for this proposal is $450,000. If grant funds are awarded in full, Phoenix would need to match up to $100,000 in funding. Funding for the Phoenix cost share is available in the Public Works Department's Capital Improvement Program budget. Other costs may be incurred by the department to support critical system needs that arise during the project period (electrical, fire systems, etc.), which will be funded by Public Works.
Location
North Gateway Material Recovery Facility - 30205 N. Black Canyon Highway
Council District: 2
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Public Works Department.