Universities in California, Arizona, Nevada and Guam Honored for
Committing to the Food Recovery Challenge

In celebration of America Recycles Day, November 15, EPA will honor universities in California, Arizona, Nevada and Guam for their participation in EPA's Food Recovery Challenge, a voluntary program that aims to limit wasted excess food through donations to charity, reducing consumption, composting, and anearobic digestion.

The Food Recovery Challenge is a priority for EPA. Nationally, food waste is the single largest type of waste going to landfills and incinerators, and food production impacts water quality and soil productivity while contributing about 13 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. When excess food is disposed of in a landfill, it decomposes and becomes a significant source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. A significant amount of this excess food doesn't have to be wasted; much of it is safe, wholesome food that could potentially feed millions of Americans or be recycled into nutrient-rich soil amendment.

The Food Recovery Challenge is part of the 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.