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News Releases from Region 03

EPA commemorates America Recycles Day with $12,000 grant to West Chester Univ. for composting

11/15/2016
Contact Information: 
Roy Seneca (seneca.roy@epa.gov)
215-814-5567

PHILADELPHIA (November 15, 2016) – In recognition of America Recycles Day, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency today announced a $12,060 grant to West Chester University to support a food composting project that will help the university and West Chester Borough keep food scraps away from a landfill.

“West Chester University has already demonstrated itself as a leader in sustainability efforts, and this funding will help the university further expand its food recovery and composting efforts,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.  “By diverting food scraps away from a landfill for composting, the university and West Chester Borough are making a valuable commitment to maintain a sustainable environment.”

With this funding, the university and borough will partner with 10 local businesses including restaurants, two senior living facilities, the Chester County Hospital and the food service operations at the university dining hall to set up a 12-month pilot composting project.

EPA and organizations nationwide are celebrating America Recycles Day today by making a concentrated effort to raise awareness about the impact organizations and individuals can have on the environment at home, school and work.

Non-food recycling rates have climbed dramatically in the U.S in recent years for many products, but we still recover only about 5% of the excess or wasted food.  In 2014, that amounted to 37 million tons of wasted food -- making food the largest waste category going into municipal landfills across the nation. 

The university’s composting project was initiated with a 2014 EPA grant that was used to partner with the borough to collect food scraps from two local restaurants for composting.  The grant announced today will expand on that project.  

For more information on recycling, go to: https://www.epa.gov/recycle

For more information on America Recycles Day, go to: http://www.nrc-recycle.org/americarecycles.aspx