News & Events

2026 KICK Challenge

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) partners with the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE) to host the Keep It Clean Kansas (KICK) Outreach Challenge, a competition for Kansas students in grades Pre-K -12. Classrooms work as a team to create and share projects that educate others about recycling, composting, and other waste reduction activities in Kansas.

Three classrooms are selected each year to win a grand prize of $1,000.

Submission Deadline - March 25, 2026

KDHE Grant Programs

www.kdhe.ks.gov/710/Waste-Reduction-Grant-Guidelines-Forms

Solid Waste Grant - Kansas counties, municipalities, solid waste management regions, and private entities may apply. Private entities are eligible only if the local government responsible for planning identifies the private party as providing needed services.

Applications are Open from March 15 - May 15, 2026

Waste TIre Grant - Kansas’ local units of government and K-12 public and private schools may apply. Eligible projects include no less than 50% waste tire material by weight, unless composed of other recycled material.

Applications are Open from Nov 15, 2026 - Jan 15, 2027

2026 Kansas Waste Reduction Conference

May 5 - 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan KS

The annual Kansas Waste Reduction Conference is the premier recycling, composting and waste reduction conference in Kansas, with a engaging lineup of speakers, presentations, and roundtable discussions.

May 5 - Household Hazardous Waste Training & Certification

May 6 & 7 - Presentations, Breakout Sessions, Networking

2026 Solid Waste Management Conference

September 29 & 30 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan KS

The annual Kansas Solid Waste Management Conference is held each fall and attracts a large number of solid waste professionals and operators, representing public and private sector organizations from throughout Kansas and neighboring states.

It includes a mix of informational presentations on important industry topics and fun events for socializing. It also provides an excellent opportunity for vendors to exhibit their services / products and interact with potential clients.

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd each year to raise awareness and support for environmental protection. The first Earth Day was held in 1970, and it is now celebrated in over 193 countries and by millions of people to demonstrate support for healthier environment and a sustainable life.

https://www.earthday.org/

November 15th is National Recycling Day, also known as America Recycles Day. The National Recycling Coalition created the holiday in 1997, as part of the Keep America Beautifull initiative, with a goal of increasing recycling awareness and providing resources to help people get more involved.

https://kab.org/our-signature-programs/america-recycles-day/