Vartega Wins Competitive Grant to Expand Its Recycling Program and Help Grow Colorado’s Economy
State-sponsored grants divert waste from landfills and create new green-sector jobs
Golden, CO (May 11, 2020) – Vartega has been awarded a $364,000 grant in recognition of plans to expand its recycling program and create new green-sector jobs. The funding is part of the Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) competitive grant program, which is administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
Colorado has made strides when it comes to diverting trash from landfills by reducing, reusing and recycling waste, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. According to CDPHE, in 2007 the state diverted only about 7 percent of the nearly 10 million tons of household and commercial trash generated that year. Eleven years later, those numbers have improved as 17 percent of roughly 7 million tons of waste was diverted from landfills in 2018. Yet Colorado still lags well behind the national average of 35 percent for waste diversion.
The RREO grant program gives for-profit, nonprofit, and local entities the infusion of funds they need to expand access to recycling and help Colorado surpass the national average. However, grantees must demonstrate more than a plan for better managing waste. Each must also show how it will help build local economies and create permanent jobs for Coloradans who are ready to get to work.
Vartega is building on more than $17.3 million in RREO grant funds that have gone to making a positive impact on the quality of life in towns, cities and regions across Colorado.
“The funds we receive through our RREO grant will help us do more to create circular supplies chains and enable a sustainable future,” says Andrew Maxey – Vartega CEO. “As an RREO grant recipient, Vartega will be making critical investments in Colorado recycling infrastructure to upcycle recycled thermoplastics using Vartega’s recycled carbon fiber. By combining recycled carbon fiber with recycled thermoplastics we’re able to create 100% recycled content materials with properties that meet or exceed the properties of virgin plastics. We’re excited that this grant will support our efforts to increase production, create local jobs, and develop sustainable use cases for recycled plastic waste.”
“We are pleased to recognize Vartega for its dedication and commitment to reducing the amount of waste sent to Colorado landfills and creating new jobs in the local economy,” said Kendra Appelman-Eastvedt, RREO Grant Program Administrator at CDPHE. “Through our RREO grants, we incentivize partnerships that are a win-win for Colorado’s economy and the environment and this project exemplifies that mission.”
For more information about Vartega, please visit www.vartega.com. For more information about RREO grants, visit www.colorado.gov/cdphe/recyclinggrantrebates.
About Vartega
Vartega is solving the world's toughest advanced materials recycling challenges to create circular supply chains and enable a sustainable future. Vartega’s modular patented carbon fiber recycling process scales rapidly to address a gap in the composites supply chain. It's like a carbon fiber washing machine inside a shipping container. These units are deployed close to the source of composites scrap via Vartega’s Hardware-as-a-Service subscription platform. Vartega’s carbon fiber and specialty thermoplastics are used in sporting goods, additive manufacturing, and vehicle lightweighting. Learn more at www.vartega.com.
About the RREO Grant Program
The Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity Act (HB 07-1288) created the RREO Grant Program with the intent to fund implementation projects that promote economic development through the productive management of recyclable materials that would otherwise be treated as discards. Projects that meet this goal are designed to implement recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, source reduction, and beneficial use/reuse for a wide variety of materials. Funds are awarded to businesses, local governments, nonprofit groups, and schools and universities throughout Colorado. The grant program is under the authority of Colorado’s Pollution Prevention Advisory Board.