Forrest Keeling Nursery (Elsberry)
Forrest Keeling Nursery (Elsberry) was awarded $50,000 to purchase a mixer, conveyor, hopper and loader to mix composted materials with a soil mixture used for planting. The total cost of the equipment needed is $72,716. The business anticipates diverting 37,070 tons of yard waste, rice hulls and pine bark from the waste stream annually with this project and has established a yard waste collection program with the City of Elsberry. The soil mixture will be available for purchase at a lower cost than virgin soil and amendments such as fertilizer, and may be added as virgin soil. Forest Keeling Nursery has operated for over 50 years and intends to introduce this new product for use with potted plants, trees, environmental plantings, wetlands restoration and wildlife plantings.

Coon Manufacturing, Inc. (Spickard)
Coon Manufacturing, Inc. (Spickard) was awarded $26,547.56 for a $43,000 project to construct a hydraulic arm to enable the manufacturing of large and heavy rotationally molded recycled plastic parts. The new hydraulic arm will enable the company to produce large capacity plastic septic tanks and underground storm shelters, diverting an additional 465.5 tons annually and creating 3 new jobs.

Web Innovations and Technology Services, Inc. (St. Louis)
Web Innovations and Technology Services, Inc. (St. Louis) was awarded $50,000 to purchase computer technology workstations costing $72, 856 for a project to refurbish old or obsolete computers for student and under-served community use. Web Innovations and Technology has recently leased a large building where they will receive old computer equipment for refurbishing or recycling. The business will create internships and training opportunities for students and will sell remanufactured computers to students or those in need, while also offering community workshops to teach youth about computer usage and maintenance. Web Innovations and Technology Services anticipates creating 3 full time employee positions and diverting 1000 tons from the waste stream annually with this project.

Sho-Me Pallets (Rolla)
Sho-Me Pallets (Rolla) was awarded $50,000 towards the purchase of equipment costing $75,800 for a project that will develop a pallet recycling business in south central Missouri. Sho-Me Pallets is a start-up business that intends to fill a void created by the closing of a major pallet recycler in the area. The Sho-Me Pallets proprietor has several years experience in the wood products industry, including experience managing a pallet recycling business. This new business intends to recover and rebuild pallets for resale within a 65 mile radius of Phelps County. Sho-Me Pallets anticipates creating four new employee positions and diverting 2,164 tons from the waste stream annually with this project.

Sandvista (Sparta)
Sandvista (Sparta) was awarded $50,000 to purchase equipment costing $72,250 that is necessary for diverting organic materials from the waste stream by growing worms and producing worm castings for sale. This project intends to produce one to five thousand pounds of worms each month. The worms will convert waste into castings, a popular and valuable fertilizer and will also be available for sale to other worm growers. The primary diet of worms is yardwaste, manure, paper, cardboard, vegetables and other organic waste. Sandvista is a relatively new vermiculture business, but is rapidly growing, doubling its product every sixty days. Sandvista intends to create two new employee positions and divert 100 tons from the waste stream annually with this project.

Organic Resource Management, Inc. (St. Louis)
Organic Resource Management, Inc. (ORMI) (St. Louis) was awarded $25,000 to purchase a trommel screening plant costing approximately $200,000 to expand its yard debris composting operation located in the Fort Bellefontaine County Park, North St. Louis County. The proposed project would enable the business to create new value-added organic products including soil blends, various kinds of mulches and compost blends. ORMI believes the new screen will enable the business to recycle an additional 10,000 cubic yards (appr. 2,000 tons) of material each year and will also create one new full time job with the project.

APAC-Missouri, Inc. Masters Jackson Branch (Springfield)
APAC-Missouri, Inc. Masters Jackson Branch (Springfield) was awarded $50,000 to purchase a grinder costing $280,000 that would enable the company to redirect waste asphalt roof shingles and use them in the production of asphaltic concrete. Asphalt roof shingles are comprised of basically the same materials as is asphalt mix: liquid asphalt and aggregate. The company has tested an asphalt mix using unusable shingles from a local manufacturer and believes they can be used to produce a quality asphalt mix for commercial application. The company intends to use this mix at its Joplin plant, which services an area from Neosho to Butler and east to Lockwood and Monett. Masters Jackson has been involved in the Joplin market for over 25 years and anticipates diverting 3,000 tons annually and creating up to three new jobs with this project.

The Smashed Chefs (Chesterfield)
The Smashed Chefs (Chesterfield) was awarded $25,866.65 to purchase equipment costing $32,866.65 to divert low value glass bottle waste and convert the material into high value serving dishes. Requested equipment includes: an oven/kiln, a steamer, a concrete mixer, a scanner, a die-cut machine and custom dies, a product laminator, a label designer and a product shredder. The Smashed Chefs collect waste glass bottles from St. Louis area bars, restaurants and wineries. Through a kiln-firing process, the company converts the bottles to dishes marketed under the names "She de'vr" and Bon Amee" that are microwave and dishwasher safe. The business anticipates diverting 13 - 137 tons annually and creating two to four and one-half new jobs with this project.

Baden Car Parts, Inc. (St. Louis)
Baden Car Parts, Inc. (St. Louis) was awarded $50,000 to purchase aspirators and conveyors costing $72,700 to increase the capacity and improve the quality of its plastics processing operation. The addition of this equipment will enable the company to provide its customers with increased assurance of the cleanliness of its product for use in manufacturing. Baden Car Parts has been operating a plastics recycling facility since 1997, processing various grades of plastics from industrial sources including containers, buckets, drums and film. This project will enable Baden Car Parts to expand its supplier base by reducing rejected loads and expand its customer base by providing a consistent source of plastics that meet quality control needs. Baden Car Parts anticipates diverting 1,650 tons annually and creating one or two new full time jobs with this project.

Tri-Rinse, Inc. (St. Louis)
Tri-Rinse, Inc. (St. Louis) was awarded $37,383.75 to purchase equipment costing $53,345 to provide an effective means of separating chemical products from plastic containers in order to recycle the containers. Tri-Rinse has been providing container cleaning, recovery and recycling services for over 20 years and has found that the recovery of chemical products for re-introduction to the market has become an integral part of product management. This project will enable Tri-Rinse to return a product to the manufacturer for reformulation or repackaging and at the same time, recover the container for recycling. Tri-Rinse, Inc. anticipates diverting 187 to 374 tons of waste annually and creating two new full time jobs with this project.