U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced grant funding for two California organizations to combat food waste and fight climate change.
Monterey One Water in Monterey County is expected to receive $169,000 while the Yurok Tribe in Klamath is anticipated to receive $200,000, according to a Jan. 24 EPA news release. The funding will help pay for projects aimed at diverting food waste from landfills by expanding anaerobic digester capacity that creates a nutrient rich fertilizer.
"These innovative zero-waste projects will turn food waste into renewable energy, reduce pollution and support California and Tribal communities," EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman said in the news release. "Anaerobic digestion projects not only cut food waste that could end up in landfills, but combat climate change by capturing methane for use, instead of having it go into the atmosphere."
The anaerobic digestion process breaks down organic materials such as manure, food scraps, and sewage sludge to produce biogas, which are then captured and used for energy production and digestate, the latter being a nutrient-rich fertilizer product, the release reported.
"Thanks to this funding from EPA, we hope to be a model for cross-sector collaboration as we work together to meet state requirements to divert organics from landfills and increase our renewable energy production to help secure the power needs our essential, 24/7 operations require," Monterey One Water General Manager Paul A. Sciuto said in the news release.
“This grant allows the Yurok Tribe to establish an anaerobic digestion facility to divert the food waste generated on and near the Yurok Indian Reservation. Digestate will be utilized to support food sovereignty efforts and be added to food production spaces,” Louisa McCovey, environmental director of the Yurok Tribe Environmental Department, said in the release.
