# Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2025

This bill creates a new federal grant program to help communities that struggle to access recycling services. The Environmental Protection Agency will distribute up to $30 million per year through 2029 to states, local governments, Native American tribes, and public-private partnerships that want to improve recycling in their areas. The goal is straightforward: make it easier for people to recycle, especially in places where recycling options are limited or far away.

The bill focuses on communities that currently lack good recycling access. This includes areas where the nearest recycling facility is too far away to be practical, or where existing facilities can't handle all the recyclable materials people generate. To fix this, grant recipients can use the money to build transfer stations (collection points that consolidate recyclables before shipping them to larger facilities), expand curbside pickup programs, or partner with private companies to reduce collection costs. Individual grants range from $500,000 to $15 million, with at least 70 percent of available funds reserved specifically for underserved communities.

The bill gives priority to areas with limited recycling infrastructure—particularly communities that don't have a materials recovery facility within 75 miles. This means rural areas and smaller towns are more likely to receive funding than densely populated regions that already have multiple recycling options. The federal government will cover up to 90 percent of project costs, though it can cover even more if a community faces serious financial hardship. Recipients must contribute at least 10 percent of funding themselves, ensuring local buy-in.

The EPA has 18 months to set up the program and will report back to Congress two years after the first grant is awarded, describing which communities received funding and whether recycling rates actually improved. Notably, the bill specifically prohibits using grant money for recycling education programs—all funds must go toward actual infrastructure improvements that make recycling physically accessible to more people.