With $50,000 to divvy up in Community Enrichment Grants for St. John, the V.I. Waste Management Authority Thursday outlined the application process to various St. John organizations.
“Applications must be in July 1,” WMA program manager Cordell Jacobs told those attending the meeting held at Julius E. Sprauve School.
St. John Community Foundation, which runs the island’s aluminum can recycling program with some Waste Management grant money, got kudos from Jacobs for their efforts.
“You have done a great job,” he said.
Community Foundation Director Celia Kalousek said that as of Dec. 31, 2010, the group had recycled 830,000 aluminum cans. She said the group currently has two trailers filled with cans waiting to go to the recycler on St. Thomas.
If the group is successful in getting additional grant money, Kalousek said it will be used to develop more reliable transportation for shipping the cans to St. Thomas.
The foundation also has some other projects on tap that need grant funding. They include the development of home composting kits to sell. This will keep biodegradable waste out of the landfill.
Additionally, Kalousek said that with restaurant and bar customers now barred from smoking on the premises, the organization is promoting the use of “smoker’s outposts” to give smokers a place to deposit their butts rather than the ground.
The group also plans to use grant funding to promote the use of biodegradable containers in restaurants rather than materials like plastic. And it wants to work on an education program in the schools.
In discussing previous Community Foundation projects, Kalousek said the group still has its glass crusher. It was purchased many years ago in hopes of dealing with the island’s waste glass bottles, but it never got off the ground. She said the model is no longer made, and the machine needs some parts. Kalousek said someone is looking for the parts.
As for the island’s electronic waste items, Jacobs said that residents don’t have to wait for Waste Management’s e-waste events to dispose of them. They can take it to the Susanaberg landfill, where staff will tell them where to place it.
Rotary Club of St. John member Joan Bermingham wanted information about the grant program because the group is working on a plan to reduce the number of plastic supermarket bags that go into the landfill. She said Rotary hopes to distribute reusable plastic bags through the supermarkets.
Angela Coleman wants a grant for Sisterhood Agenda’s beautification program.
Waste Management will hold similar meetings at 6 p.m. Friday on both St. Thomas and St. Croix. On St. Croix, it will be at Waste Management’s office in William’s Delight. On St. Thomas, it’s at Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Center.
