University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago receive a combined $2.6 Million in funding to promote environmental justice
According to a recent press release issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago have been awarded a combined total of over $2.6 million in funding to be used for the avoidance of pollution. These funds, which are a component of Vice President Biden's Investing in America initiative, are made possible by funding that is provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.
The awarding of two funds is announced in a press release from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign dated October 14, 2023. The first grant, in the amount of $1.1 million, will go toward funding a multi-state initiative that will assist thirty manufacturing and processing companies in reducing their consumption of water, energy, and hazardous waste. Additional cash in the amount of $800,000 will be allocated to the cause of assisting restaurants in reducing their use of potentially harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
According to the statement issued by the EPA, the University of Illinois at Chicago will be awarded $683,836 in order to assist restaurants in making the transition to food contact materials that are free of PFAS and are also recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable. In addition, an information campaign as well as incentives for restaurants that take part will be developed.
According to the press release, state authorities such as Governor JB Pritzker and Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth praised the money as a big step toward a more sustainable future for Illinois. They also hailed the funds as a significant step toward a more sustainable future for Illinois. The Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, has expressed his delight at the state's position as a pioneer in the movement toward the use of renewable energy sources.
