Berks County is set to receive two grants totaling nearly $36,700 from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that will help clean up household hazardous waste in the 187th district, according to Rep. Gary Day (R-Berks/Lehigh).

The Berks County Solid Waste Authority received $34,471 under the Pennsylvania Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Grant Program that will be used to reimburse 50 percent of the costs for developing and operating a household hazardous waste (HHW) collection event on Oct. 3 and 4, 2009, at First Energy Stadium in Reading.

The authority also received $2,216 under the program that will be used to reimburse 50 percent of the costs of another HHW collection event at Giant Food Stores on Oct. 24.

“These events allow people the opportunity to dispose of waste properly,” said Day.  “I’m pleased to see DEP helping local projects move forward and encouraging electronics, tires and waste paints to be recycled, not disposed of in curbside garbage that goes to landfills.”

Under Act 190 of 1996, the Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Program Act, DEP reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible HHW program costs, not to exceed $100,000 per county per fiscal year. DEP gives funding priority to existing programs and those operated by counties, multi-county groups and first- and second-class cities, as required by Act 101.

In the fiscal year 2007-2008, there were about 86,000 participants statewide in 62 HHW events that recycled 3,730 tons of tires, electronics, oil-based or latex paint, used oil and other household hazardous waste.

Rep. Gary Day

187th District

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

(717) 787-3017

(610) 760-7082

Contact:  Todd Abele

tabele@pahousegop.com

(717) 783-3957

Member Site: RepGaryDay.com

Caucus Site:  PAHouseGOP.com