Sec. 46.11.070. - Waste reduction and recycling awards for schools.
(a) In consultation with the Department of Education and Early Development, the Department of Environmental Conservation shall establish a waste reduction and recycling awards program under which the Department of Environmental Conservation may annually, subject to available funding, award grants of up to $2,000 each to public schools in recognition of their efforts and the efforts of their students to reduce and recycle waste generated in the administrative offices, classrooms, laboratories, cafeterias, and maintenance operations of the schools.
(b) The Department of Environmental Conservation shall, on request, provide technical assistance to schools concerning their opportunities to reduce and recycle wastes.
(c) The Department of Environmental Conservation shall adopt regulations to implement the awards program. For purposes of evaluating school waste reduction and recycling programs, the department may group schools according to geographical location, student population, distance to recycling markets, or other criteria considered appropriate by the department.
(d) The Department of Environmental Conservation may accept and use restricted grants of money or other assistance from private persons or groups to fund the awards made under (a) of this section.
(e) The Department of Environmental Conservation may not use state money to fund awards made under (a) of this section unless an appropriation is made specifically for the purposes of (a) of this section.