Spring 2026

Grantee Spotlight: Garbage Pal Increases Material Recycling Capacity Tenfold

Garbage Pal, a recycling and waste management company based in Fletcher, NC, recently enhanced its cardboard processing operations with support from a 2024 Recycling Business Development Grant from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The grant funded the purchase of a Bramidan 6030X baler. This upgrade streamlined material handling, increased operational capacity, and created two new staff positions in the company, allowing the company to increase material recovery and improve landfill diversion rates. 

“The grant-funded cardboard baler has helped us significantly improve our recycling efforts. It has supported job creation through expanded processing operations and generated economic value by reducing disposal costs, strengthening the local recycling market,” said Jared Brenemen, owner of Garbage Pal.  “We appreciate the state’s support in advancing both environmental and economic outcomes.”  

Since installing the baler, Garbage Pal has increased cardboard recycling tenfold, from 45 tons annually to approximately 576 tons per year, averaging close to 10 bales per operational day. The increase in capacity allowed Garbage Pal to take on new customers and uniquely positioned the company to help manage the influx of cardboard that came to the region in the months following Hurricane Helene. The improvements resulting from this project support Garbage Pal’s ability to handle larger volumes of cardboard, reduce transportation-related costs, and strengthen North Carolina’s local recycling market. 

2026 Grant Recipients Announced for RBDG and FWRG

We’re excited to share that recipients have been selected for the 2026 Recycling Business Development Grant (RBDG) and Food Waste Reduction Grant (FWRG) programs. 

This year, RBDG received 33 applications, with 12 projects selected for funding. The awards total $494,500 and are expected to leverage an additional $1.4 million in private matching investment.  Selected projects include a mix of recycling infrastructure investments, including C&D recycling, solar panel and lithium-ion battery recycling, and MRF upgrades.  These projects are expected to strengthen North Carolina’s in-state recycling capacity and divert an additional 18,000 tons annually. 

For FWRG, 11 grants were awarded from 28 applications, totaling $483,000 and leveraging $517,353 in matching funds.  Funded projects support com

posting operations, food rescue organizations, and organics haulers, and are expected to divert 1,144 tons from disposal while providing 546,750 meals through rescued food.  The selected grantees serve a diverse mix of communities across the state, including rural, suburban, and urban counties. 

Together, these projects represent practical, on-the-ground investments that support North Carolina’s recycling and materials management systems. 

Food Waste Reduction Grant Information 

Recycling Business Development Grant Information 

Are you a North Carolina-based recycling hauler, processor, broker, or manufacturer using recycled feedstock?  The Recycling Business Assistance Center (RBAC) needs your response to the 2026 Recycling Employment Survey. 

The 2026 N.C. Recycling Business Employment Survey will help determine how many people are employed by recycling businesses across the state.  Data collected from responses will be used by RBAC to demonstrate the economic value of recycling. 

Insights from this survey will inform a RBAC report detailing employment trends in the state’s recycling industry, to be published later this year.  The last such report came out in 2020 and found that the industry supported 15,700 jobs and generated an annual payroll of $759 million. 

This data is crucial for DEQ to properly allocate funding and resources to support the state’s circular economy.  Responses are confidential and will be released as summaries in which no individual's answers can be identified. 

If you have questions about the survey, please contact Matt James at matt.james@ncdenr.gov or by phone at 919-707-8142. 

Access the survey. 

This May, the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) will once again host Recycling in Action, a nationwide initiative inviting Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to open their doors and show the public how recycling truly works. Launched in 2025 to counter widespread misconceptions that recycling is ineffective, the program gives community members a rare, first‑hand look at recycling in motion.  

Last year’s program delivered outstanding results. Thirty‑six facilities held 150 tours for more than 2,100 attendees. The response was overwhelmingly positive: 96% rated their tour as excellent, 85% said recycling worked better than they expected, and 74% left feeling very confident that what they place in their bin gets recycled. These tours didn’t just build trust—they strengthened community support for the work MRFs do every day. 

In 2026, APR aims to expand Recycling in Action, and NC MRFs can play a key role. Hosting a tour can be a powerful way to boost local recycling participation and improve the quality of material streams, and getting involved is simple. Facilities handle local promotion and the tour itself, while APR provides a full marketing toolkit—including outreach tips, customizable templates, and a communications prep call. APR will also promote the campaign nationally and host a central landing page linking to all participating tours.  

Show your community what recycling looks like in action—and help strengthen the system for everyone. For more information about the campaign and how to get involved, please visit the Recycling in Action website, or call Haley Hall, DEQ Recycling Business Development Specialist at haley.hall@deq.nc.gov or 919-707-8723. 

Communities across North Carolina are looking for reliable recycling solutions, presenting opportunities to expand curbside hauling services and improve the state’s recycling infrastructure.  If your company is thinking about adding curbside recycling to its hauling services, here are a few key considerations for a successful start:  

1. Assess the recycling landscape in your service area. Start by evaluating what recycling infrastructure already exists. This may include nearby MRFs, recycling transfer stations, or other haulers that provide recycling services in the area. If your company already provides trash collection, consider gauging customer interest for a recycling service. This research and feedback can guide the scale of the initial program rollout.  Identify multiple facilities that can accept the materials the program will collect; this offers a contingency to ensure you always have a market and allows a comparison for tipping fees.   

2. Prepare for your program’s initial launch and continued growth. Create short- and long-term plans for managing assets, facilities, and operational logistics.  How many trucks will be dedicated to recycling?  What routes and schedules make the most sense given available resources?  Invest in program essentials like examples below to improve longevity and limit additional costs.  For example, recycling carts should be clearly differentiated from trash carts by color and labeling, with blue carts serving as the industry standard to avoid confusion and reduce contamination.  If you’re looking to offset startup costs, RBAC offers grants to recycling businesses operating in North Carolina.  The next cycle will open in fall 2026, but you can explore opportunities early by reviewing past awarded projects on the Recycling Business Development Grant webpage You can also contact an RBAC staff member now to brainstorm project ideas or get advice on grant applications.  

3. Share clear guidelines on what’s accepted and how to prepare materials with customers before, during, and after rollout.  A strong communication strategy integrates outreach into regularly scheduled business operations.  Plan to provide outreach materials to welcome new customers, send annual reminders, and intervene in cases of contamination.  If you need inspiration and assistance, DEQ has recycling outreach materials available that can be customized to fit your program’s needs at no cost. Contact RBAC staff to learn more and discuss options for your operation.  

Adding recycling to hauling services is an investment that can strengthen a business and communities.  With thoughtful planning, smart partnerships, and intentional customer engagement, you can lead the way toward a stronger, more resilient circular economy.