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

How to Participate...

  1. Sign Up through WasteWise. Once you are a WasteWise participant, you can join the  Food Recovery Challenge by signing into the SMM Data Management System, clicking on “Organization Information”, and selecting the “Food Recovery Challenge” checkbox.

  2. Assess It! Enter your baseline data into the SMM Data Management System within 90 days of joining. This web-based data management and reporting system will track your organization’s waste generation and reduction activities, including changes in purchasing, food donation, and composting.

  3. Set a Goal! Set a yearly goal for reducing the amount of food waste reaching landfills and enter it into the SMM Data Management System.

    4. Year One: Commit to at least a 5 percent increase in at least one of the three food diversion categories (prevention, donation, and composting) or alternatively, a combined 5 percent increase across all three food waste diversion categories.  If a participant does not have food diversion data, EPA will assist you in developing a program to help you measure future progress.

    Subsequent Years: Set site-specific numerical targets based on opportunities at your facility.

  4. Do It! Undertake activities to reduce your food waste. Examples are modifying food purchasing, changing food production and handling practices, reducing excessive portion size, donating to those in need, and recycling.
    Learn more about food waste reduction and recovery success stories.

  5. Track It! Report progress annually using the SMM Data Management System.

Have Questions? Contact your regional representative

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