Through July 12, 2019, communities are eligible to apply for grants to establish local plastics recovery program
(Business Wire) MIDLAND, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dow is again teaming up with national nonprofit and long-standing collaborator Keep America Beautiful® to award up to $125,000 in grants for organizations to establish the Hefty® EnergyBag® program in their communities. The Hefty® EnergyBag® program, a collaboration between Dow and Reynolds Consumer Products, offers an innovative approach to diverting hard-to-recycle plastics, such as chip bags, standup pouches, foam containers, candy wrappers and juice pouches, from landfills and converting the materials into valuable resources.
For a fourth cycle, Dow is offering, via the 2019 Hefty® EnergyBag® grant program, up to $125,000 in grant funding to eligible communities across the nation. Previous grant recipients include: Boise, Idaho and Cobb County, Georgia (Keep Cobb Beautiful Inc.), as well as Lincoln, Nebraska, which will launch its Hefty® EnergyBag® Program at the end of April, and a second grant for Cobb County to expand their existing program. The first permanent Hefty® EnergyBag® program launched in the Omaha area in October 2016.
Recipients of the third grant program will be announced in mid-2019. Recipients of the fourth grant will be announced in late 2019, after submissions have been fully evaluated.
“We’re pleased to encourage the growth of the Hefty EnergyBag Program with grant funding in collaboration with Keep America Beautiful, so that we can recover the value of used plastics that can’t currently be recycled,” said Jon Pyper, associate director of sustainability for Dow. “The Omaha-area, Boise-area and Cobb County programs have already proven that we can successfully and sustainably divert more plastics from landfills and reuse those molecules. We’re eager to continue expanding this program and to encourage improved recycling in communities throughout the country.”
The grant application is open to municipalities, nonprofits, materials recovery facilities and other qualifying organizations through July 12, 2019. Dow will equip grant recipients with a framework to aid in developing successful Hefty® EnergyBag® programs in their communities, and will facilitate planning, implementation and metrics tracking. Dow also consults with recipients as they manage their local programs and solicit involvement from key community stakeholders. Dow and Keep America Beautiful will host a one-hour webinar on Wednesday, May 9 to review the application process and describe how the grant applications will be evaluated.
“The Hefty EnergyBag program is an exciting opportunity that directly supports Keep America Beautiful’s commitment to reducing waste in communities across the country,” said Helen Lowman, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with Dow and other organizations that see the value in reducing landfill waste and advancing the collection of hard-to-recycle plastics.”
From inception through March 2019, the Hefty® EnergyBag® program has collected more than 536,700 bags and diverted over 357 tons of hard-to-recycle plastics from landfills – the equivalent of producing approximately 1,700 barrels of diesel fuel from collected materials and eliminating approximately 51 full trash trucks. The Hefty® EnergyBag® grant program demonstrates Dow’s commitment to advancing a circular economy as part of its 2025 Sustainability Goals.
To apply for the Hefty® EnergyBag® grant, visit www.kab.org/hefty-energy-bag-program. To learn more about the Hefty® EnergyBag® program, visit www.heftyenergybag.com.
Dow’s long-standing relationship with Keep America Beautiful is built on more than 10 years of collaboration through the Great American Cleanup. This annual event is the largest community improvement program in the U.S., which provides an opportunity to engage employees, customers and communities for environmental impact.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines one of the broadest technology sets in the industry with asset integration, focused innovation and global scale to achieve profitable growth and become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow’s portfolio of performance materials, industrial intermediates and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for our customers in high-growth segments, such as packaging, infrastructure and consumer care. Dow operates 113 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,000 people. Dow delivered pro forma sales of approximately $50 billion in 2018. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s iconic community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision. Behavior change – steeped in education, research and behavioral science – is the cornerstone of Keep America Beautiful. We empower generations of community stewards with volunteer programs, hands-on experiences, curricula, practical advice and other resources to deliver measurable environmental, economic and social benefits. The organization is driven by more than 600 state and local affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities and government officials. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
About Reynolds Consumer Products
Reynolds Consumer Products is a leading provider of quality household essentials that have been trusted for generations. Our Reynolds® and Hefty® brand products help with preparation, cooking, cleanup, and storage. The Hefty® brand is best known for strong, dependable waste bags, available in the U.S. at mass merchants, grocers, and other retail stores nationwide. For more information, visit Hefty.com.