• Scrap Tire Recycling Market Development Grant Opening July 7  
• Business Opportunities for Increased Diversion in NC Landfill Waste
• Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grantees
• Land of Sky Regional Council and NC DEQ Partnership Sunsets
• Check Out Our New Grants Page!
• Textile Recycling Expo & Tour Showcase Industry Innovation
• Grantee Spotlight: Material Return
• Compost Corner
• Staff Updates

Scrap Tire Recycling Market Development Grant Opening July 7 

The NC Recycling Business Assistance Center (RBAC) will open the next round of the Scrap Tire Recycling Market Development Grant on July 7, 2026. This funding opportunity supports NC businesses that process scrap tires for recycling and manufacturers that use processed tire materials to create value-added products. Eligible projects include equipment purchases and facility improvements that expand the state's capacity to recycle scrap tires and develop new markets for tire-derived materials.

Interested applicants are encouraged to review program information on the grant webpage and contact Emily Weaver at (919) 707-8913 for questions about the funding opportunity.

Business Opportunities for Increased Diversion in NC Landfill Waste

The 2025 NC Waste Characterization Study presents the results of a multi-season waste sort conducted at three disposal facilities located across the state. The study of the composition revealed that 67% of materials could have been recycled or composted. By identifying readily recyclable materials still being disposed, such as paper, cardboard, metals, plastics, glass, and organics, the study highlights opportunities for recycling businesses to capture lost material value, expand recovery efforts, and support strategic planning for a more resilient materials management system.

NC Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) received funding to conduct the study through U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) program. Thank you to Watauga County, City of Greensboro, and the Coastal Regional Solid Management Authority for participating as sampling locations and hosting field staff to conduct the sorts.

Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grantees 

NC DEQ announced that funding has been awarded for 16 projects in Western NC to enhance waste reduction infrastructure and advance debris management through the Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure (HRRI) grant program.  

This program awarded $25 million to Hurricane Helene impacted local governments to strengthen waste reduction management systems.  These funds support the repair and development of recycling infrastructure and the enhancement of organic debris recovery with the goal of ensuring long-term resilience against future disruptions.  See the full press release.

For more information about HRRI funding, visit the Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grant webpage or contact Matt James at (919) 707-8142. 

Land of Sky Regional Council and NC DEQ Partnership Sunsets  

The collaboration between Land of Sky Regional Council of Government (LOSRC) and NC DEQ to administer the Waste Reduction Partners program sunsets on June 30, 2026. For over 30 years, this program provided support to organizations in achieving environmental, energy, and carbon management goals through waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, and renewable energy strategies. Participants included agricultural operations, businesses, local government, manufacturers, schools, and institutions across NC.  

NC DEQ’s DEACS continues to provide a wide range of technical services to address air emissions, waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, and pollution prevention. DEACS thanks LOSRC for the collaboration and expertise over the years and for the services they provide western NC.

If you are interested in receiving technical assistance or have questions, please reach out to Sarah Robison at (919) 707-8144. 

Visit DEACS website for more information. 

Check Out our New Grant Page! 

Textile Expo and Ecosystem Tour Showcase Industry Innovation 

The Textile Recycling Expo USA and Textile Ecosystem Tour took place in Charlotte, April 28 – 30, 2026, and showcased the growing momentum around textile recycling and circular manufacturing in NC.

Manufacturers, recyclers, brands, and policymakers from across the country gathered to discuss the textile industry and what is needed to build stronger recycling systems in the U.S. Speakers emphasized that meaningful progress will require policy, infrastructure, and private investment working together. There was also strong interest in expanding domestic textile recycling capacity and creating more end markets for recycled materials with innovations in new technology and domestic manufacturing.

The tour showcased multiple innovative NC companies, including Goodwill Industries of Northwest NC, The Industrial Commons, Material Return, Meridian Specialty Yarn Group, Carolina Nonwovens, and more. Together, the tour highlighted the wide range of textile expertise and manufacturing infrastructure that continues to make NC a leader in the textile industry.

Next year, the Textile Recycling Expo USA returns to Charlotte on April 7-8, 2027. 

Grantee Spotlight: Material Return 

Grant Projects: Building Capacity from the Ground Up

Material Return, a circular economy enterprise housed within the Morganton-based nonprofit The Industrial Commons, has been a recipient of two RBAC Recycling Business Development Grants, designed to expand the company's textile recycling capacity and impact.

The 2020 grant funded the purchase of an industrial baler which cut processing time in half, increased bale weight to approximately 1,200 lbs., and improved overall processing efficiency by 200% compared to the company’s previous equipment. In addition, the project enabled the company to divert more than 500 tons of waste from landfills annually, up from 360 tons per year previously. With this added efficiency, Material Return began processing a wider range of materials including furniture fabric, polyester, cardboard, and selvage waste, and doubled the company’s workforce.

The company’s current RBAC grant project continues that growth trajectory, funding critical small equipment components needed to bring a new yarn spinning line into operation. This new processing line represents a major vertical integration milestone. Material Return already had the infrastructure to produce sliver, the intermediate step before yarn, and the new equipment will allow them to complete the full yarn production process in-house, thereby reducing costs, improving market competitiveness, and lowering the product's carbon footprint. 

The Bigger Picture: NC's Textile Innovation Engine

Material Return’s work does not exist in isolation; it is part of a larger effort to position NC as a national leader in circular textiles. In 2024, The Industrial Commons, the nonprofit that houses and supports Material Return, was selected to lead the NSF Textile Innovation Engine of NC, one of the inaugural National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines.

The Engine brings together supply chain partners, manufacturers, researchers, educators, and government leaders to advance textile circularity, strengthen domestic manufacturing, support workforce development, and accelerate innovation from fiber to finished product. With the U.S. generating over 17 million tons of textile waste annually, the Engine's Circular Textile Consortium is working to transform that waste stream into valuable raw materials, exactly what Material Return does every day.

The Engine is also investing in workforce development, modernizing high school textile education, and creating career pathways through apprenticeships, micro credentials, and higher education partnerships. Together, Material Return and The Industrial Commons are not just recycling textiles; they are helping rebuild an American textile industry grounded in sustainability, rural economic development, and cutting-edge innovation. 

Compost Corner 

A new composting service provider is now operating in Robeson County! Started in 2024, Organic Life Amendments is a family-owned food scrap hauler and composter in Lumberton, NC. The company collects material from residential and commercial clients and transports it to a partner compost facility for processing. Organic Life Amendments also operates a “continuous flow through” (CFT) vermiculture system. In the CFT, spoiled produce and goat manure are fed to red wiggler worms, and the resulting castings are harvested, packaged and sold at local retailers and online. As part of their hauling and vermiculture operations, the company is partnering with Sustainable Sandhills to collect fruits and vegetables from a local school cafeteria. Lessons learned from the cafeteria compost pilot will be used to expand the program.

Organic Life Amendments is a 2026 Food Waste Reduction grantee and was awarded $60,000 to purchase a pick-up truck, dump trailer and cart tipper to increase food scrap hauling operations. 

For more information on composting businesses, contact Organics Recycling Team Lead, Christine Wittmeier, at 919-707-8121.  

Staff Updates 

RBAC is pleased to announce that Debra Kantner joined the State's recycling office in May as a Recycling Business Development Specialist. Debra comes to us with a strong background in recycling, sustainability, and materials management, with experience spanning research, policy, and program implementation. She will provide assistance to NC recycling companies and manage grant contracts for recycling businesses. Before joining RBAC, Debra was a Research Environmental Engineer with RTI International, working on projects related to food waste and hard-to-recycle materials. She has also spent significant time as a solid waste consultant supporting public and private sector entities with waste reduction, recycling systems, and circular economy strategies. We’re thrilled to have her expertise on board as we continue to grow this work across the Division.

Contact Debra Kantner at (919) 707-8127.