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Indiana Recycling Market Development Program

Next RMDP grant funding round is anticipated Spring 2025.

Grant Information and Guidelines
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Recycling Market Development Program (RMDP) Background

The Recycling Market Development Program was established in the early 1990s to better manage solid waste by developing markets for recycling. The Program is supported by the Recycling Promotion and Assistance Fund (RPAF) established under IC 4-23-5.5-14. Funding is fifty percent of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Fee (IC 13-20-22-1).

Recycling Market Development Board

The RMDP is administered by IDEM and operates under the Recycling Market Development Board as established by IC 4-23-5.5. The Board may promote, fund, and encourage programs facilitating the development and implementation of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling in Indiana. They determine all final funding for eligible projects.

Recycling Market Development Grants

The next round of grant funding is anticipated to open late Spring 2025.

General Information

Projects should focus on reuse, reduction, and recycling methods that result in one or more of the following:

  • An increase in recyclable material collection or utilization,
  • A reduction in municipal solid waste shipped for final disposal,
  • Improved partnerships with communities, including not only economic impacts, but increased public awareness of recycling opportunities through tangible outreach and education efforts.

Public/private businesses, solid waste management districts, local government, and not-profit organizations located and doing business in Indiana may seek grant funding starting at $50,000 and up to $500,000, with a 50 percent (50%) cash match.

Program and Submission Guidelines

Currently not accepting submissions.

Applicants should refer to the Recycling Market Development 2024 Grant Announcement and Request for Proposal Guidelines [PDF] for an example of the last round’s complete proposal requirements and submittal guidance.

Submissions for RMDP grant funding must include:

  • Cover Page: State Webform 56936 [Webform (form link will be active only during open grant cycle)]
  • Project Description and Scope of Work
  • Past Performance Narrative
  • Cash Match (including proof of available funding for the total project cost)
  • Detailed Budget Narrative (including table and quotes for all relevant purchases)
  • If you are a business purchasing equipment, a Business Plan

Incomplete applications may not be accepted for consideration. Applicants should review the evaluation criteria provided in Attachment A of the Request for Proposal Guidelines, ensuring that the grant proposal is written with scoring criteria in mind.

Applicants should review the RFP guidelines in its entirety and, if needed, discuss their proposed projects with the RMDP grant program manager prior to submitting a proposal.

Indiana Recycling Roundtable Discussions

Recycling stakeholders across Indiana are invited to attend IDEM’s quarterly virtual Recycling Roundtable Discussions. The discussions provide a chance for stakeholders to discuss issues, share resources, and find solutions to current challenges facing recyclers and Indiana's recycling industry. The purpose is to facilitate solutions to help Indiana meet its goal of a 50% recycling rate while helping to spur economic growth in recycling markets.

Indiana Recycling Infrastructure & Economic Study

IDEM’s Office of Program Support (OPS) has released the Indiana Recycling Infrastructure and Economic Impact Study. The Study was commissioned by the Recycling Market Development Board (RMDB) and prepared by GT Environmental. It provides a comprehensive review and analysis of Indiana’s recycling infrastructure and the significant economic impact of recycling the state. The Study also includes specific recommendations to improve statewide recycling to maximize its impact in the circular economy.

The Study demonstrates that Indiana’s waste and recycling infrastructure for municipal solid waste collected approximately 8.8 million tons in 2019, of which 19% was diverted from landfills through recycling and composting. The Study details that although only 19% of MSW currently generated (the state has a goal of 50%), the impact in total jobs in the recycling industry, the economic impact, and the tax impacts are significant.

Indiana Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Study

The Indiana Recycling Market Development Board commissioned a municipal solid waste characterization study to determine the types of recyclable materials still going into Indiana landfills. The study completed by Purdue University—Calumet allowed college students to discover first-hand the challenges in measuring Indiana’s waste stream.

Recycling Annual Report

Each November, the Indiana Recycling Market Development Program issues an annual report on program funding and awards. An archive of these reports is available for inspection:

For More Information...

For more information on the Recycling Market Development Program, contact the IDEM Office of Program Support.

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