State recycling investment to add jobs - Westfair Communications

State government officials announced Feb. 28 the formation of the Recycling Market Development Council to expand Connecticut’s recycling efforts and create jobs.

“Modernizing the state”™s process will support an industry that is nearly 5,000 strong and contributes hundreds of millions to our local economy,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said in a statement. “And it will reduce the volume of trash and air pollution.”

The council will be made up of recycling businessÂ representatives, tasked with increasing waste recovery and connecting companies with recycled products.

“Expansion in the reuse and recycling sector can play an important role in the continued economic growth of our state,” said Â Catherine Smith, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, in a press release. “Right now we have valuable material being incinerated””we have an opportunity to support business in this sector and examine the incentives they need to grow and create jobs.”

Â Annually companies engaged in collecting, hauling, sorting, processing and selling of recycled materials contribute $746 million in sales, according to the Connecticut Economic Resource Center.