MassDEP reviews midpoint progress on reduce-and-reuse plan, flags grants and fall workshop to boost deconstruction

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on May 13 held the final of three midpoint-review webinars for its Reduce and Reuse Action Plan, reporting grant growth, new technical assistance and plans for a fall in-person workshop to advance deconstruction and building-material reuse across the state.

The review matters because deconstruction — taking buildings apart to preserve reusable materials — is a core strategy in the state's Solid Waste Master Plan to reduce disposal and lower greenhouse-gas emissions. MassDEP staff said progress includes more grant applications and awards that support reuse, a developing repository of technical resources and ongoing coordination with state procurement and municipal programs.

MassDEP staff reviewed how the action plan (published December 2020) maps to barriers such as culture, infrastructure, markets and policy. The agency described several ongoing and planned efforts: expand tools and guidelines for project planning and materials management; run an in-person fall workshop to refine model ordinances and resources; continue grant rounds including microgrants and larger reuse business development awards; and work…