Recycling Inclusion Fund.

3M contributed an investment of $100,000 to launch The Recycling Partnership’s Recycling Inclusion Fund.

In the U.S., 3M engages with The Recycling Partnership through financial support and representation as a corporate partner. The Recycling Partnership uses public-private partnerships to improve residents’ access to recycling at the local level. The Recycling Partnership operates at every level of the recycling value chain and works on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs with cart and truck grants, education, and technical support to tackle circular economy challenges.

3M’s commitment to The Recycling Partnership has helped support numerous projects across the country, as well as its newest report — Paying It Forward — which outlines what it will take to create a healthy U.S. recycling system, and the dividends that investment will deliver. 3M also provided the initial investment of $100,000 to launch The Recycling Partnership’s Recycling Inclusion Fund, which is dedicated to delivering an equitable recycling system for all people.

The Recycling Inclusion Fund focuses on three key areas: 1) research to identify the state of recycling access and participation, and the barriers and needs in Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities across the U.S., 2) recycling access and education to reach and empower BIPOC populations with recycling and educational resources that meet their needs, and 3) leadership training programs to build a diverse talent pipeline for the recycling industry.

3M’s contribution to the Recycling Inclusion Fund allowed The Partnership to update its existing education and outreach photos, videos, and images to include more diverse representation. These updated resources will be used by thousands of communities across the U.S., now reflecting the diverse communities that they serve. 3M’s initial contribution also supported foundational research to identify where people are being underserved by recycling service and what is needed to address the inequity of recycling access and participation in the U.S. This research is crucial to building inclusive tools, resources, and interventions to ensure all people can recycle in the U.S., regardless of race or socioeconomic status.