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EPA Continues Working Sessions on Mid-Format Battery Recycling
 Throughout 2024, EPA is hosting a series of working sessions to inform the development of:
- Voluntary guidelines for battery labeling.
- Best practices for state, Tribal, and local governments to collect end-of-life batteries for recycling.
This fall, EPA will host meetings on mid-format battery labeling and collection. These sessions will focus on how to label and collect mid-format batteries, which 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.
EPA encourages participation in these meetings from the following groups:
- Battery and battery-containing device manufacturers (e-mobility, outdoor power equipment).
- Battery industry associations.
- Battery and battery-containing device retailers.
- Battery recyclers and processors.
- Non-governmental organizations.
- Government agencies, including fire departments and municipalities and regional solid waste management districts responsible for collection.
Find out more and register for the October and November meetings on our website.
EPA held seven sessions earlier this year on small format battery collection, labeling, storage, transport, education, and recycling outreach. You can find presentation materials and additional information for all of these sessions on our website.
If you are interested in connecting with us about any of these meetings, please use this web form.
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Check Out New “Escaped Trash Risk Map”
 EPA’s Trash Free Waters program released an Escaped Trash Risk Map, developed in collaboration with the University of Georgia and the Sea Education Association. It displays a modeled estimate of escaped trash density across the United States. The “Escaped Trash” part of the name refers to waste materials that leak out from waste management systems. This could be through spillage from non-secured containers, intentional littering, or by other means. This map is designed to help local governments and communities identify high-density escaped trash areas so they can evaluate impacts and do something about them.
The resolution of the map shows estimated trash counts at the one square kilometer level. Estimated escaped-trash counts, item types, material types, and mass are viewable for each U.S. river basin. Escaped trash density estimates should be interpreted as a risk map of what is estimated to be on the ground and at risk of getting into waterways based on model predictions. The model does not account for local activities such as illegal dumping, street sweeping, cleanup efforts, or other local factors.
Locations and summary data on microplastic presence drawn from studies in freshwater systems across the U.S. are also displayed in the map. Data are insufficient to estimate microplastic concentration in all U.S. waterbodies.
Check out the Escaped Trash Risk Map on our website!
Visit EPA’s Trash Free Water’s homepage to learn more about all we do to better our waterways!
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New EPA Infographics on the Connections Between Food Waste, Compost, and Climate Change
 EPA released two new infographics describing the connections between food waste and climate change and compost/composting and climate change. All EPA’s graphics related to wasted food can now be found on one new webpage and are, of course, available for public use: EPA Sustainable Management of Food Graphics. Please credit the U.S. EPA.
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Apply for President’s Environmental Student and Teacher Awards by Jan. 15
EPA is requesting applications for the 2025 President’s Environmental Youth Awards and Presidential Innovation Awards for Environmental Educators. PEYA recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship projects from students in grades K–12 that promote environmental awareness and encourage community involvement. PIAEE recognizes outstanding grade K–12 educators who employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a classroom for teaching.
Projects eligible for these awards can cover a variety of environmental topics, including (but not limited to):
- Climate change.
- Environmental justice.
- Food waste.
- Lead in drinking water.
- Litter in oceans and waterways.
- Recycling.
- Agricultural practices.
- Using STEM in environmental education.
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025.
Find application and eligibility information on EPA’s PEYA page and EPA’s PIAEE page.
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Department of Energy Submits Draft Strategic Framework for Circularity for Public Comment by Dec. 16
 The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office just announced a Request for Information to solicit public comments on its draft strategic framework on “Circularity for Secure and Sustainable Products and Materials.”
The goal of this strategy is to provide a foundation of understanding of the office’s main objectives and key efforts in material and product circularity that will seed connection and collaboration with interested parties across the U.S. government, industry, academia, and non-profits. Through this connection, the office hopes to increase product and material circularity—and that is why they are asking for feedback on this draft strategic framework.
Specifically, DOE is seeking input on:
- A framework for prioritization of research and development.
- Significant opportunities, challenges, and enablers to increase product and material circularity.
- Technology advancement needed to achieve Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy objectives.
- Prioritization of future EERE investments, including data that supports this prioritization.
- How to maximize impact.
Read the full announcement.
View the RFI.
Read the draft strategic framework.
Please note that responses to the RFI are due by 5 p.m. ET, on December 16, 2024.
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Consumer Food Waste Webinar Series Launch
Ohio State University and Rutgers Cooperative Extension present the first webinar in their monthly Consumer Food Waste series. This inaugural webinar will focus on OSU and RCE's joint creation of a Consumer Food Waste Community of Practice with USDA funding, and insights from ongoing efforts to combat food loss and waste. Learn more and register with RCE.
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Webinar on Tricky-to-Compost Materials from US Composting Council
 On October 31, USCC gets in the Halloween spirit with a webinar on “Freaky Feedstocks,” including pumpkins and animal mortalities. Learn more and register with USCC.
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Webinar on the Faith Community and Food Waste from WRI
 On October 29, World Resources Institute will host a global dialogue on The Role of Faith Actors in Tackling Food Loss and Waste. Learn about recent initiatives in Rwanda, Kenya, Europe and elsewhere around the globe. Get more info and register with WRI.
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Apply by March 14 for Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia Funding
 EPA is excited to announce the second round of grants for Tribes and intertribal consortia! These grants will provide approximately $20 million in awards ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million each. The entities eligible to apply under this announcement are federally recognized Tribes, including Alaskan Native Villages and former Indian reservations in Oklahoma. Intertribal consortia are also eligible to apply. The deadline to apply for the SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia is March 14, 2025. For the full details, please visit EPA’s SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia webpage.
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Apply by Dec. 20 Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Communities Funding
EPA is excited to announce the second round of grants for communities! These grants will provide approximately $58 million in awards ranging from $500,000 to $5 million each. The entities eligible to apply under this announcement are political subdivisions of states and territories. The EPA considers counties, cities, towns, parishes, and similar units of governments that have executive and legislative functions to be political subdivisions of states. The deadline to apply for the SWIFR Grants for Communities is December 20, 2024. For the full details, please visit EPA’s SWIFR Communities webpage.
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Upcoming Informational Webinars on SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia
 EPA will be hosting live webinars on the funding opportunity, key sections of the application, and the application process. The webinars will be recorded and posted on EPA’s website.
SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia NOFO – Additional Topics
Date: October 29, 2024
Time: 3:00-4:30 pm ET (2 pm CT/1 pm MT/Noon PT/11 am AKT)
Description: EPA will cover procurement, subawards, budget, application attachments, and other requirements. There will be time for questions and answers at the end.
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Apply by Dec. 20 for Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program Funding
 The funding for the REO grant program will provide approximately $39 million for one award. EPA seeks coalition applications that include three projects: (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.
To learn more about the eligible entities, accepted projects, or other details involved, read the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the REO Grant Program and view the recorded webinar.
EPA also keeps a running list of questions and answers on the REO grant program here, and you can sign up to receive emails when the questions and answers webpage is updated here.
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Reminder - Apply Now Through Dec 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.
Learn more about this funding opportunity and how to apply.
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Apply by Nov. 8 for BPI’s Composting Microgrants
 The Biodegradable Products Institute seeks to fund composters and food scrap haulers that accept compostable products. Microgrants will range from $500 - $5000 in this grant cycle, with $35,000 in total funding available. Non-profits, for-profit businesses, and government entities are eligible to apply. Application deadline is Nov. 8, 2024. Learn more about this funding opportunity from BPI.
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Reminder - Apply by Nov. 7 for USDA’s Community Food Projects Competitive Grants
 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 was held on Sept. 23. Learn more about this opportunity from NIFA.
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Reminder - Apply by Dec. 2 for the 2024 Region 4 Sustainable Materials Management Grants
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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Reminder - Apply by Nov. 21 for EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program
 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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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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