EPA Awards Nearly $1.5M in Research Grants to Reduce U.S. Household Food Waste
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced as one of two recipients
RALEIGH, NC (April 13, 2023) – On April 12, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $1,471,426 in research grant funding to two universities to develop, apply, and test innovative and creative community-engaged approaches to reduce household food waste in the United States.
“Preventing food waste at home can help fight climate change and save money for U.S. families,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The research funded by these grants will help us identify successful strategies to empower communities to reduce food waste while improving food security.”
When food is produced but unnecessarily wasted, all the resources used to grow the food (water, energy, and fertilizers) along with the resources used to transport it, are also wasted. Wasted food is typically deposited in a landfill where it decomposes, and the main byproducts are methane and carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases that trap heat and contribute to climate change. Reducing and preventing food waste can increase food security, foster economic efficiency, promote resource and energy conservation, and help address climate change.
The following institutions are receiving awards:
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, to work with households in Raleigh, NC, to evaluate a set of household food waste prevention interventions developed by researchers and local health, food, and environmental organizations. This project will also simulate the impact of the interventions on environmental outcomes and cost-effectiveness for national-scale application.
- Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a series of culinary education videos for home cooks focused on food waste prevention and minimization. The project will measure the impacts of educational materials on food waste reduction at household and community levels and test national scalability.
Learn more about these grants.
Learn more about EPA research grants.