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LINCOLN — Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) Interim Director Kara Valentine announced Jan. 24 the award of $9,798,781 in grants to support 136 projects across the state.
These grants will help fund waste and litter reduction projects, recycling programs, and pay costs for scrap tire cleanups and collections for household hazardous waste, electronic waste, and pharmaceuticals.
“NDEE is grateful to assist local efforts that promote waste and litter reduction,” Valentine said. “The grants help out with the costs of proper disposal of many household materials and make a difference to our communities.”
Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive funds are generated by a fee on solid waste disposed of in landfills, an annual retail business sales fee, and a fee assessed on the sale of new tires. Grants are provided to local integrated waste management projects, and can include recycling systems, household hazardous waste collections, and composting. For 2025, 24 projects totaling $3,001,424 were funded under the Business Fee and Disposal Fee categories.
Also included in the Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive program are Scrap Tire funds, which are generated from a $1 fee on new tires purchased in Nebraska. In 2025, 58 grants totaling $2,500,919 were awarded. These grants will fund 22 scrap tire cleanup events across Nebraska. Enough funding was awarded to clean up 6,035 tons of scrap tires. Funds will also be used to partially reimburse the cost of many products made from recycled scrap tires, such as artificial turf football, soccer, baseball, and softball fields, athletic running tracks, and playground surfacing.
Litter Reduction and Recycling funds are generated from a fee charged to certain manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of products that commonly contribute to litter. The program has provided grants annually since 1979. In 2025, 54 litter grants totaling $4,296,438 were awarded in the public education, cleanup, and recycling categories. Public education programs educate citizens on litter reduction and recycling through a variety of school and community activities. Cleanup grants provide funding for Nebraska residents of all ages who pick up litter and debris along Nebraska’s highways, waterways, recreation lands, urban areas, and other public use areas within the state. Not only are the public areas improved through the removal of litter, but also much of the material collected is recycled. Recycling programs provide an alternative to the disposal of solid waste in Nebraska’s landfills. Priority is given to programs that promote markets for recycled materials or purchasing products made from recycled materials.
Grant applications for 2026 will be accepted starting in June 2025. Please check our website or contact ndee.wastegrants@nebraska.gov for more information.
Below is a summary of the 2025 grant awards by local communities:
- Alma Lower Republican Natural Resources District Scrap Tire Collection Site Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $30,282 Collection of 200 tons of scrap tires.
- Aurora Hamilton County Highway Department Scrap Tire Collection Site Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $30,750 Collection of 200 tons of scrap tires to be recycled.
- Central City Merrick County Highway Dept Scrap Tire Collection Site Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $34,360 Collection of 250 tons of scrap tires.
- Grand Island Grand Island Area Clean Community System Business Fee Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $152,478 Funds to continue the HHW facility and properly dispose of materials
- Grand Island Grand Island Area Clean Community System Cleanup Litter Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $7,059.00 80 miles of roadside cleanup and 25 acres of cleanup.
- Grand Island Grand Island Area Clean Community System Public Education Litter Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $60,601 Educates on recycling through in class programs, distributing brochures with local recycling resources, and being present at events to educate the public.
- Grand Island Grand Island Disposal, Inc. d/b/a Heartland Disposal Business Fee Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $173,201 Funds to purchase 94-gallon yard waste bins; skid loader and trailer to transport bins and recyclables
- Grand Island Hall County Highway Department Scrap Tire Collection Site Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $40,500 Collection of 250 tons of scrap tires.
- Hasting City of Hastings, Solid Waste Department Disposal Fee Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $14,008 Funds to host a one-day electronics recycling event
- Holdrege City of Holdrege Scrap Tire Collection Site Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $49,136 Collection of 350 tons of scrap tires.
- Kearney City of Kearney/Kearney Area Recycling Center Disposal Fee Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $37,267 Funds to operate HHW facility
- Kenesaw Kenesaw Public School Scrap Tire Partial Reimbursement for Purchase of Tire-Derived Products and/or Crumb Rubber Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $4,525 50% reimbursement for rubber mulch.
- Lexington Keep Lexington Beautiful Public Education Litter Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $85,470 Recycling and landfill education in schools 4 days/week plus summer classes; host summer cleanups; working with elderly residents and with student parents to reach older populations
- Lexington Keep Lexington Beautiful Recycling Litter Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $35,684 Manage recyclables at five drop-off locations, hold two shredding events, and two pharmaceutical collection events.
- Lexington Lexington Area Solid Waste Agency Business Fee Waste Reduction & Recycling Incentive Fund $59,151 Funds to host a one-day HHW collection event
