News Releases from Region 03
EPA Awards $15,000 Grant for Sustainable Food Management
EPA Awards $15,000 Grant for Sustainable Food Management
PHILADELPHIA (Oct.7, 2020) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce that the Composting Council Research & Education Foundation (CCREF) has been selected to receive funding to support a project to promote the beneficial use of compost under the agency’s Sustainable Materials Management grant opportunity.
The CCREF works closely with the US Composting Council, a trade organization for the compost industry. USCC staff will assist CCREF on this project to will work with state agencies in the Mid-Atlantic Region to increase the use of compost in green infrastructure projects.
EPA anticipates that it will award CCREF a grant in the amount of $15,000 once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Funding this project furthers the Administration's goal of helping state and local governments achieve their sustainability goals.
“I look forward to seeing this project assist our state and local partners who are using green infrastructure to manage stormwater in communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio. “In addition to the numerous environmental benefits, there is the additional benefit of building strong markets for compost products which supports the composting industry thereby increasing the opportunity to divert food waste from landfills. It’s a win-win-win situation.”
Compost is made from recycled organic materials. Increasing the use of recycled materials in the U.S. is more critical than ever. CCREF will work with state and local agencies in the mid-Atlantic states to provide education and training on the use of compost for construction projects that will improve stormwater management and water quality. Compost can be used in a variety of applications including compost blankets and socks, rain gardens, and green roofs. CCREF will connect compost manufacturers with end users through educational and marketing activities to support implementation of these applications.
“It’s so important to connect compost manufacturers with end users through educational and marketing activities in order to reap the well-documented environmental benefits of using compost. We look forward to working closely with EPA and the mid-atlantic states bridge that gap. CCREF is grateful for this opportunity to identify barriers, help expand the knowledge about the benefits of compost use and help develop plans to increase compost use,” said Frank Franciosi, CCREF Executive Director