- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Media Contact
Lauren Moreschi, Director of Communications
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced $1.1 million in funding to support 13 businesses and organizations focused on expanding recycling and reuse infrastructure. These grants will support new technologies to help manage big and bulky waste materials, improve waste reduction efficiencies, and expand the recycling market across Massachusetts.
“Massachusetts businesses and organizations are finding new ways to reduce waste and reuse materials,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These grants will help them test and grow their ideas, create economic opportunity and keep more waste out of our landfills.”
“We need practical solutions that make it easier to recycle more and throw away less,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These investments will support new technologies that can strengthen our recycling system and help build a cleaner, more sustainable Massachusetts.”
The Waste Reduction Innovation Grant (WRIG), administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), was launched in the spring of 2025. The grant supports pilot-scale projects with strong commercialization potential, as well as larger infrastructure investments to help create or expand supply chains and drive large-scale waste diversion through meaningful system changes.
“Some of the toughest materials to manage are also where we have the biggest opportunities to rethink what we throw away,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “These grants will help businesses and organizations test practical ideas to reuse bulky materials, recycle more efficiently and turn items that might otherwise become waste into something useful again.”
“Investing in innovative technologies, processes and systems is critical to making our recycling and reuse initiatives more efficient and effective”, said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “These grants spur economic growth while delivering real, measurable reductions in the amount of waste sent to landfills. With Massachusetts facing severely limited landfill capacity, supporting bold and modern solutions is more important than ever before.”
2026 Waste Reduction Innovation Grant Recipients:
- CemCycle (Worcester, MA) – $100,000
- Hera Materials (Somerville, MA) – $100,000
- Kykloris (New Bedford, MA) – $100,000
- MacroCycle Technologies (Cambridge, MA) – $100,000
- Orobor PBC (Boston, MA) – $50,000
- Polycarbin (Hanover, MA) – $100,000
- River Otter Renewables (Woburn, MA) – $100,000
- Second Structure (Somerville, MA) – $50,000
- SpadXTech (Worcester, MA) – $50,000
- UpcycleX (Cambridge, MA) – $50,000
- USEFULL (Boston, MA) – $100,000
- VALIS Insights (Worcester, MA) – $100,000
- Wentworth Institute of Technology (Boston, MA) – $99,906.54
Please visit the MassDEP Waste Reduction Innovation Grant Program webpage for summary information on the awarded projects as well as more information on the application process and guidelines.
Statements of Support:
Representative Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn):
"Wonderful to secure $100,000 for River Otter Renewables in Woburn in order to recover valuable materials from blended textiles to be reused in fibers or upcycled into plastics, coatings, and other industrial materials. I want to thank the Healey-Driscoll administration for this funding, as well as the City of Woburn for working with Commonwealth in finding new, innovative ways to recycle and reuse our materials so our communities have sustainable, green infrastructure."
Representative Michelle Ciccolo (D-Lexington):
"Today's materials are almost always blended with hard to recycle chemical components which when improperly disposed of can release toxic materials into our water, air, and soil. This problem is further compounded by all of the fast fashion trends generating enormous amounts of discarded fabric. It's crucial we find methods to creatively and strategically recycle these complex fabrics. I am grateful to MassDEP for selecting River Otter Renewables to receive a grant, recognizing the value of its work and I applaud River Otter Renewables for its innovative approach."
Media Contact
