Austin City Council Approves Grant to Fund New Recycling Warehouse
The Austin City Council accepted a $4 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Feb. 29 to establish a warehouse for oversized items, such as furniture, that can be recycled or upholstered at a later date.
The EPA initially awarded Austin the grant on Sept. 13, 2023. However, the city did not incorporate the funding into the budget for Austin Resource Recovery, which oversees Austin’s zero waste initiatives, until the Feb. 29 council meeting. Austin is the only city government in Texas to receive the grant and was awarded the maximum amount of funds one could apply for.
“The whole idea is to really build the infrastructure needed to advance (cities’) recycling programs and get that material back into circulation to be used by our manufacturers to create another life for it,” said Renee Bellew, EPA section supervisor for recycling and pollution prevention.
Bellew said the application process was highly rigorous, with applicants competing nationally for funding. The EPA selected 25 applicants for the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant for Communities.
The grant will primarily go toward warehouse real estate and operations equipment. Megan Kaplon, the conservation program coordinator for Austin Resource Recovery, said the warehouse will serve as a storage facility for housing furniture.
“A lot of the problem is that there’s furniture available sometimes for free or for sale,” Kaplon said. “But the people that need it aren’t ready for it yet, and you need to get rid of it really quickly. That’s how things end up in the landfill.”
The warehouse will serve the Austin community, including college students moving out at the end of the semester, through MoveOutATX, an Austin Resource Recovery program. However, city leaders want to expand furniture redistribution to Austin’s unhoused population.
Austin Resource Recovery is currently looking for a warehouse location and aims to complete the project in late 2026. While many logistics are not finalized, Kaplon said the space may also be used for workforce development. By training residents with barriers to employment in basic upcycling and repair skills, the city can provide more jobs while expanding the number of items that can be reused.
“We’re going to work with local nonprofits to make sure that furniture is getting to those people,” Kaplon said. “You finally get to a place where you’re able to get into housing, and then you also need to pay to get furniture. We’re hoping to fill that gap for people and make it so they can have a nice, comfortable, well-furnished home without having to fork out the money to do that.”
For Kristi and Dan Michener, Austin residents of over 30 years, the warehouse represents a potential turn toward accessibility in the city’s recycling movement. In their neighborhood, all three recycling pickup options come with additional costs, and certain items must still be taken directly to Austin Resource Recovery for disposal, requiring an appointment in advance. Despite the added steps, the couple said it’s worth it.
“I’m concerned about our grandchildren and the environment they’re going to be living in, so I’m going to do whatever I can,” Dan said.
The Micheners said they hope this investment will urge people to properly dispose of items more difficult to get rid of, like sofas or mattress box springs. They said they have the time, but busy families that have to plan far ahead may not.
“Every bit helps,” Kristi said. “If we don’t take care of the planet, nothing else is going to matter. That’s kind of the bottom line for us.”
Illustration by Olivia Young