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EPA Announces $117 Million in Grants Available to Advance Recycling Infrastructure and Prevent Wasted Food
 Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced three funding opportunities totaling $117 million for recycling grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Two of the notices are for Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grants – one funding opportunity for Tribes and intertribal consortia and another for communities (such as cities, counties, and parishes) across the country. The third notice is for EPA’s Recycling Education and Outreach grant program and is focused on food waste prevention and composting. All three opportunities are made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided the largest EPA investment in recycling in more than 30 years. The grant programs help implement EPA’s National Recycling Strategy to improve post-consumer materials management and infrastructure; support improvements to local post-consumer materials management and recycling programs; and assist local waste management authorities in making improvements to local waste management systems.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant Program
The recycling funding for Tribes and intertribal consortia will provide approximately $20 million in awards ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million each. The recycling funding for communities will provide approximately $58 million in awards ranging from $500,000 to $5 million each. Funded projects will improve post-consumer materials management and infrastructure, including collection, transport, systems, and processes related to post-use materials that can be recovered, reused, recycled, repaired, refurbished, or composted. Read more about these funding opportunities for Tribes and intertribal consortia and communities.
 Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Grant Program
The funding for the REO grant program will provide approximately $39 million for one award. EPA seeks coalition applications that include the following elements: (1) a project to develop and implement a national consumer wasted food reduction campaign; (2) a project that will increase the market for and sales of compost; and (3) a project that will increase education and outreach to households on composting. Applicants must demonstrate they will subaward a portion of the total award to implement education and outreach activities locally, which will benefit local communities. Read more about eligible applicants and activities for this funding opportunity for recycling education and outreach. Read more about eligible applicants and activities for this funding opportunity for recycling education and outreach.
To learn more about the eligible entities, accepted projects, or other details involved, read the Request for Applications:
Learn more about how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is Transforming U.S. Recycling and Waste Management. For information about the current recycling grant program recipients, visit the recycling grant recipient webpage. For more information on preventing wasted food, visit the Sustainable Management of Food webpage. Learn more about EPA’s circular economy work.
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Join our Webinars on Battery Collection and Labeling Guidelines for Recycling
 EPA will be hosting mid-format battery recycling working sessions this fall! For the purposes of the working sessions, mid-format batteries are rechargeable batteries between 11 and 25 pounds and 300 to 2000 watt-hour ratings. This includes e-bikes, e-scooters, portable power stations, and outdoor power equipment. During the working session, EPA will share current policies, practices, and trends related to mid-format battery recycling. Working session participants will then be able to provide input to inform the process to develop battery collection best practices and battery labeling guidelines for recycling.
Register for the upcoming working sessions:
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An old glass jar, bottle, or container that you've recycled may be making its way into a sidewalk!
 NY-based KLAW Industries has used EPA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding to develop their innovative technology that uses recycled glass to create concrete. Their lower-emissions cement was recently selected for use on a project in Whitney Point, NY, for sidewalks, curbs, and barriers in the new U.S. Route 11 bridge as well as 1.5 miles of new sidewalks on US Route 11.
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Turning the Tables on Food Waste - TED Talk from Dana Gunders
 ReFED’s president, Dana Gunders, shares innovative solutions and at-home tips for preventing food waste. Check out the TED Talk.
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Participate in International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
 The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the 2023 Milestones Report for Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions. The report highlights actions and impacts by 25 2030 Champions – food businesses that have committed to halving food loss and waste in their operations by 2030. Read the full report.
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New Data Quantifies Methane Emissions Avoided by Food Banks
 The Global Foodbanking Network, in partnership with the Global Methane Hub and Carbon Trust, developed a new methodology to quantify and track, in real time, the methane emissions avoided by recovering and donating food that otherwise would have been wasted. GFN also released new data showing the emissions reduction impact of food banks’ work. Check out these new resources from GFN.
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Check Out Webinar on Reducing Food Waste in Schools
 On Sept. 26, ReFED and World Wildlife Fund will present a webinar - Reducing Food Waste in Schools: Transforming Cafeterias through Community-Driven and Grassroots Initiatives. Learn more and register on ReFED’s website.
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Join Webinar on PFAS in Consumer Products, Food Service, and Facility Maintenance
 On Sept. 26, Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association will host a webinar on PFAS in products we use every day, PFAS impacts on human health and the environment, and alternatives to PFAS. Learn more from NEWMOA and register for the webinar.
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Participate in Webinar Series on Wasted Food 101
 Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association is hosting a two-part series on Materials Management 101: Wasted Food, covering policy and practices for food waste prevention and diversion. Learn more from NEWMOA and register for Part 1 on Sept. 17 and Part 2 on Oct. 15.
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Participate in Webinar Series on Wasted Food 101
 On Sept. 19, The Institute for Local Self-Reliance is hosting a webinar on Engaging in Policymaking for Food Systems, Waste and Climate: Tips, Strategies and Best Practices. Learn more and register with ILSR.
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Apply for the 2024 Region 4 Sustainable Materials Management Grants by October 31
EPA Region 4 released a notice of funding opportunity designed to address municipal recycling markets and/or promote strategies for preventing food loss and waste in the southeast.
Application deadline: October 31, 2024
Learn more about and apply for this funding opportunity at Grants.gov
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Apply for USDA’s Community Food Projects Competitive Grants by November 7
 USDA-NIFA Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program is now open. Funding is available for planning projects and community food projects. Public food program service providers, Tribal organizations, and private nonprofit entities are eligible to apply. A technical assistance webinar will be held on Sept. 23. Learn more about this opportunity from NIFA.
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Reminder - Apply for the Tribal Climate Resilience Annual Awards Program by October 18
 The Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience in the Bureau of Indian Affairs is accepting applications for Tribal Climate Resilience Awards. This competitive funding opportunity will address current and future climate change impacts on Tribal Treaty and Trust resources, economies, regenerative agriculture and food sovereignty, conservation practices, infrastructure, and human health and safety.
In FY24, over $120 million will be made available across three funding categories:
- Category 1 – Planning.
- Category 2 – Implementation.
- Category 3 - Relocation, Managed Retreat, Protect-in-Place (RMP) Staff.
TCR awards may also be used to meet other Federal and non-Federal cost share/match requirements required by statute.
Application deadline: October 18, 2024.
Learn more on the Tribal Climate Resilience Annual Awards webpage.
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Reminder - Apply for EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program by November 21
 EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights is awarding approximately $2 billion in grants to fund community-driven projects that address climate challenge and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with initial award selections beginning in March 2024. The final application deadline is November 21, 2024.
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Reminder - Apply for EPA Region 1 Healthy Communities 2024 Grants by November 1
EPA New England is pleased to announce that the Healthy Communities Grant Program is now accepting applications for projects that will benefit one or more New England communities. EPA plans to award approximately 15 cooperative agreements for amounts up to $40,000. Sustainable Materials Management is one of the topic areas within scope. Join an informational webinar; the next one is on August 14.
Application deadline: November 1, 2024.
Register for webinars and learn more about the Healthy Communities Grant Program.
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Reminder - Apply Aug-Nov for USDA’s Foundational and Applied Science Program Grants
These grants cover research, education, and extension projects with a wide variety of topics and eligible entities. Application deadlines: August 1 through November 14, 2024, depending on program area).
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Mention of or referral to commercial products or services, and/or links to non-EPA sites does not imply official EPA endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data, or products presented at those locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. Mention of commercial products/services on non-EPA websites is provided solely as a pointer to information on topics related to environmental protection that may be useful to EPA staff and the public. |
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By subscribing to the newsletter, you will receive periodic announcements about resources, events, webinars, funding opportunities, and more from EPA and our partners. Topics include circular economy, reduce/reuse/recycle, food loss and waste, electronics, plastics, municipal solid waste, and the built environment.
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