The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it tapped the D.C. Department of Public Works to receive a $152,000 grant to set up a training and certification program for commercial enterprises that generate food waste in the city.
According to a June 15 EPA news release, the Food Waste Ready program will certify the producers of food waste, like restaurants, develop plans to separate organic materials to be diverted for processing in anaerobic digesters, a key part of the process, according to Carlton Waterhouse, deputy assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management.
“Anaerobic digestion is an important way to ensure essential nutrients are recirculated into our ecosystems,” Waterhouse said in the news release. “This kind of innovation helps communities reduce food waste that could end up in landfills while capturing methane for use, instead of having it go into the atmosphere.”
Moreover, EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz pointed out the program is based on local knowledge gained in recent years, and the plan will include environmental justice components that will have a positive impact on local communities, the release reported.
According to the release, local organics recycling rules in Washington, D.C., will take effect in 2023, making the timing of the program key.
The EPA release also noted the program will be rolled out in two phases – the first featuring training and certification on an online system, and the second phase focusing on program validation and customer service. It is expected 11 organizations will receive approximately $2 million for the initiative.
