North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

Established in 2015, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) is responsible for the management and protection of the state’s environmental resources. The NC DEQ also provides financial assistance to groups and organizations through award of grants to encourage responsible behavior in regards to the environment and further sustainable practices in business. They achieve this through education at DEQ facilities as well as through the state’s school system.

             CLR  is proud to have earned the Recycling Business Development Grant and to be featured in the NC DEQ’s Grantee Spotlight. In 2024, Closed Loop Recycling received such a grant award for expanding our Charlotte, NC operational hub, assisting in payment for leasehold improvements and water washing equipment which will enable CLR to extend the life of customer-owned PPE through laundering and reuse, keeping the material from being landfilled. For us, this project is about more than just new equipment; It’s about proving that with the right support, recycling can scale, innovate, and drive meaningful change.

            This investment was a game changer for us. By bringing even more laundering in-house, we’ve reduced our reliance on third-party services, lowered costs, and improved efficiency. Just as importantly, this expansion created local jobs and increased our recycling capacity by nearly 5,000 pounds each week.

            This growth has allowed us also to strengthen as a team. We will continue to grow beyond this expansion which demonstrates how grant funding like this helps North Carolina businesses expand their impact, create jobs, and keep materials and waste out of landfills.

            The results speak for themselves. In 2024, CLR diverted more than 78 tons of rags, textiles, and PPE from landfills; That is 45,550 pounds of rags and nearly 300,000 PPE items. These numbers represent real progress toward helping our customers achieve decreased reliance on natural resources, and a cleaner, more sustainable environment.              We are proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, and excited to continue building a more sustainable, circular economy in North Carolina.