Highlights

EPA recommends the Food Recovery Hierarchy as the
preferred options to make the most of excess food.

Sustainable Food Management Webinar Series

Topic: Anaerobic Digestion: Creating Renewable Energy from Food Waste Date: October 11, 2012 Time: 1:00pm-2:30pm EST Register
Topic: Behavior Change: Techniques to Decrease Food Waste and Avoid Contamination Date: November 29, 2012 (RESCHEDULED from September) Time: 1:00pm-2:30pm EST Register
Topic: Green Teams: How Your Organizational Structure Can Drive Your Food Recovery and Diversion Program Date: December 13th, 2012 Time: 1:00pm-2:30pm EST Register
View all SFM Webinars

Instead of wasting food and money, Rethink! Take the Food Recovery Challenge!

Join Now!

How much of your food and money are you literally throwing away? The Food Recovery Challenge asks participants to reduce as much of their food waste as possible – saving money, helping communities, and protecting the environment. The Challenge is part of the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program, which seeks to reduce the environmental impact of materials through their entire life cycle, including how they are extracted, manufactured, distributed, used, reused, recycled, and disposed.

Did you know?

Around 35 million tons of food waste was generated, in 2010, 97 percent of which was thrown away into landfills or incinerators.
More than 14 percent of households in the U.S. were food insecure, in 2009, meaning they didn’t know where their next meal would come from.
Wasted food means wasted money for businesses and residences.
Food decomposes in landfills to generate methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Wasted food has economic, environmental, and social impacts. Much of this “waste” is not waste at all, but actually safe, wholesome food that could potentially feed millions of Americans. Excess food, leftovers and scraps that are not fit for consumption and donation can be recycled into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Learn more about how you can reduce food waste.

By committing to take the Food Recovery Challenge, you commit to reducing the amount of food waste you send to landfills through prevention, donation, and recycling.

Why take the challenge?

Improve your bottom line through cost savings from improved purchasing and preparation practices and reduced waste disposal fees
Support your community by using food to feed people, not landfills
Reduce your environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions
Get recognized for your achievements
Access free technical assistance for your baseline assessment and food recovery activities

Current Participants

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