The 2025 Recycling Business Development Grant, offered by the N.C. Recycling Business Assistance Center (RBAC), is designed to foster sustainable growth within North Carolina's private recycling sector. The core mission of this grant program aligns with RBAC's broader objective of building lasting private-sector capacity to divert materials from the waste stream, create jobs, and advance a more circular economy in North Carolina. By supporting capital investments in physical infrastructure, RBAC aims to enhance the efficiency and capacity of recycling operations across the state, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability and economic development.
The primary beneficiaries of this grant are private-sector recycling businesses and nonprofit organizations operating in North Carolina. The program targets entities that accept, collect, and/or recycle materials from external sources to produce value-added feedstocks for intermediary processing or end-use recycled product manufacturing. The impact goals are multifaceted: to increase the diversion of materials from landfills, generate new employment opportunities within the recycling industry, and strengthen North Carolina's overall recycling infrastructure.
The grant prioritizes projects that address specific needs within North Carolina's recycling infrastructure, identifying them as "Priority Project Grants." These include investments that expand, upgrade, or improve the capacity and/or efficiency of single-stream material recovery facilities (MRFs). Additionally, projects establishing or expanding recycling processing capacity for solar panels, electric vehicle batteries, or lithium-ion batteries are strongly encouraged. For electronics recyclers managing these materials, R2 or e-Stewards certification is required for priority consideration, demonstrating a commitment to responsible recycling practices.
The expected outcomes of the grant program include a measurable increase in the capacity and efficiency of recycling operations, a reduction in the volume of waste sent to landfills, and the creation of new jobs within the recycling sector. Grant funding, up to a maximum of $75,000 per eligible applicant, is specifically intended to cover capital costs for physical infrastructure improvements, not operational expenses or land purchases. The grant contract period is anticipated to run from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, allowing grantees approximately one year to implement their projects and demonstrate tangible results that contribute to a more robust and circular economy in North Carolina.
