The San Antonio City Council voted to accept grant funding for recycling education and materials from the Alamo Area Council of Governments, representing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, during its Oct. 17 meeting.

The gist

The grant funding in the amount of $57,000 for Fiscal Year 2024 and $30,000 for FY 2025 support environmental programming efforts related to recycling, solid waste stream reduction and municipal enforcement of anti-dumping laws.

According to city documents, the acceptance also authorizes the ratification of contracts between the city and AACOG for any of the grants awarded. It also allows for supplemental grant applications and their acceptance, should AACOG make additional funds available during the 2024-25 grant cycle.

Funds will be used for:
  • Educational and outreach programs
  • Enhancing ReWorksSA program
  • Increasing illegal dumping advertising
The FY 2024 grant of $57,000 will be directed to the San Antonio Solid Waste Management Division’s education and outreach division for recycling and composting children’s books and activity guides for distribution to students during presentations. Funding will also be used to purchase recycling containers for local businesses.


The FY 2025 grant of $30,000 will be used to continue and enhance a campaign entitled Fight Dirty to raise awareness regarding illegal dumping in San Antonio.

The backstory

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has provided statewide grants to local governments to be distributed to local agencies, municipalities, counties and public school districts since 1996. Funds are generated by fees imposed by the state on volumes of disposed municipal solid waste.

Since 1996, San Antonio has received over $5 million in funding from this program.