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EPA Launches Platform for Implementing Circular Economy Strategies
 EPA is pleased to announce a newly updated Circular Economy Implementation Plan Online Platform! The platform contains the initial actions EPA is taking to implement circular economy strategies, including the National Recycling Strategy, the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics, and the National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution. To maximize available resources and Agency priorities, EPA is implementing these strategies in three main ways:
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EPA grant programs and initiatives. With funding provided by the 2021 Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, EPA developed and launched two new waste prevention, reuse, and recycling grant programs: The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program and the Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program. EPA is also funding collaborative efforts to develop battery collection best practices and battery labeling guidelines. The platform features links to fact sheets and other information about the grants and initiatives that have been funded so far.
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Federal agency collaboration. EPA is working with other federal agencies to implement actions that advance shared priorities, such as recycling municipal solid waste, preventing and reducing food waste, improving battery collection and recycling, and preventing plastic pollution.
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Existing EPA programs. Each fiscal year, EPA integrates activities that support implementation of the circular economy strategies into its waste minimization and recycling program. Several other agency programs have actions under way that support implementation of the strategies, and those actions will be featured in future updates to the platform.
EPA anticipates making updates to the platform on a quarterly basis. As Agency resources dedicated to this effort change, EPA may add additional initiatives to the implementation plan.
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EPA Releases Final Updates to Recommendations to Help Buyers Find Sustainable Products
 EPA recently published updates to the agency’s Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations), which help federal government purchasers and other buyers select products that are more sustainable and contain safer chemical ingredients. This is the first time in nearly 10 years that EPA has comprehensively evaluated private-sector standards and ecolabels, expanding its recommendations at the same time.
With more than 460 ecolabels and standards in the marketplace, these new recommendations help buyers cut through the clutter to identify thousands of products and services that conserve resources, include more recycled content, reduce PFAS exposure and contamination, as well as lower the overall consumption of single-use plastics. With this update, EPA is expanding recommendations by adding 14 standards and ecolabels in new categories of healthcare, laboratories, and clothing and uniforms, and expanding the options for buyers of food service ware.
EPA has added six ecolabels and standards for clothing and uniforms, offering purchasers a robust number of options in this new category. In the expanded food service ware category, buyers can now find ecolabels and standards covering products that are reusable, certified commercially compostable, and certified recyclable. This update also adds specifications for federal purchasers to use to prioritize more sustainable options for food service ware and to ensure proper end-of-life management. More information can be found on the EPA Greener Products Webpage here.
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USDA and FDA seek Public Input on Date Labeling
 USDA and FDA announced a Request for Information on date labeling. The aim of this RFI is to provide clarity, transparency, and cost savings to consumers by collecting information on “Use By” and “Sell By” dates for food products. Confusion on date labels is a major contributor to food being disposed of improperly in U.S. households. Submit comments by February 3, 2025. USDA Press Release here. FDA Press Release here.
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USDA-NRCS | USDA Seeks Public Input on Climate Benefits of Conservation Practice Standards
 USDA-NRCS is asking for public input on improvements that can be made to environmental conservation practice standards for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Submit comments by December 23.
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“Repurpose with a Purpose: A look behind the new toolkit for foodservice professionals” webinar on January 13
 Join ReFED and the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative for a virtual event, "Repurpose with a Purpose: A look behind the new toolkit for foodservice professionals." Restaurants and food service operations generated about 13 million tons of surplus food in 2023, nearly 80% of which went to landfill. In restaurants, overproduction is the leading cause of wasted food. An effective solution to address this challenge is repurposing or upcycling overproduced, surplus food into new and delicious menu items that diners will love. And now a toolkit titled, “Repurpose with a Purpose,” has been specifically designed for food service professionals like restaurant managers, chefs, and dining operators that offers actionable, cost-effective strategies, and recipes using high-quality prepped ingredients that would otherwise be wasted. Register here.
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Reminder - Apply by March 14, 2025 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.
EPA keeps a running list of questions and answers about this funding opportunity, and recently posted materials from our October webinars.
For the full details, please visit EPA’s SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia webpage.
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Apply for USDA’s Farm to School Program Grants by January 10
 The USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is designed to increase the availability of local foods in schools and connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals. The USDA is accepting applications and will award up to $12 million to plan, develop and implement farm to school projects. This year, the award is split into three separate solicitations:
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Implementation Grant: The purpose of these grants is to improve access to local foods through comprehensive farm-to-school programming that includes both local sourcing and agricultural education efforts.
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State Solicitation Grant: The purpose of these grants is to promote agricultural education and increase the amount of local food served in eligible child nutrition program (CNP) operators by funding state agencies to support and grow farm to CNP efforts in their states.
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Turnkey Grant: The purpose of these grants is to simplify the proposal-writing process by providing pre-designed activities to simplify applications for frequently proposed farm-to-school projects – in particular, “Action Planning,” “Agricultural Education,” and “Edible Gardens” projects.
Application deadline is January 10, 2025. Learn more about this funding opportunity.
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Reminder - Apply for President’s Environmental Student and Teacher Awards by Jan. 15, 2025
 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 the awards can apply to 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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Apply for USDA’s Rural Development Solid Waste Management Grants by Dec. 31, 2024
 USDA’s Solid Waste Management grant program for rural communities reduces or eliminates the pollution of water resources by funding eligible organizations that provide technical assistance or training to improve planning for – and management of – solid waste disposal sites. Eligible projects include technical assistance and training to help communities reduce the amount of solid waste coming into a landfill. Applications are due by December 31, 2024. Learn more about this funding opportunity.
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Danone Institute and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research present Sustainable Food Systems Grants. Apply by February 14.
 Danone Institute North America is accepting proposals for the 2025-2027 DINA Sustainable Food Systems and the new Focus on Foods Initiatives. $410,000 will be awarded to eight grant recipients. Five of the grants will be awarded to five transdisciplinary teams that demonstrate a commitment to actionable and achievable projects that contribute to the nutritional health of adult populations. An additional three new grants, funded by FFAR, will go to three teams whose projects focus on agriculture communities. Application deadline is February 14, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Learn more about these funding opportunities.
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ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund: Maximizing the Harvest. Apply by January 21.
 On-farm produce loss is a major contributor to food waste, with U.S. farms generating more than 17 million tons of surplus food in 2023 alone. This surplus—consisting of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables—represents a missed opportunity for food to reach its original intended consumer, all while millions face hunger. ReFED’s Catalytic Grant Fund is seeking innovative technologies, solutions, and initiatives that can boost the harvest of this surplus, maximize its value, and establish new market opportunities while increasing profitability for farmers. Letters of Intent to Apply are due January 21, 2025. Learn more about this funding opportunity.
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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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