Zero Food Waste Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create an EPA grant program to cut food waste, targeting a bold goal: __50% reduction in food waste by 2035__ relative to 2015 levels. It uses competitive grants, data reporting, and policy tools to steer waste away from landfills and incinerators and into prevention, rescue, upcycling, or recycling, with funding and priorities for underserved communities.
Show full summary
- State, local, territorial, and Tribal governments could get planning and data grants to map food waste and build management plans. These study and reporting grants are limited to government entities and partnerships.
- Nonprofit groups and partnerships could receive project grants to run prevention, rescue, upcycling, or recycling projects, but nonprofits must include a government or regional nonprofit letter of support. The program prioritizes projects in communities of color, low-income areas, and Tribal communities.
- Grants can fund infrastructure such as anaerobic digestion but require end-product recycling plans, limit animal waste to at most 20% of feedstock, and push for source separated organics and stronger recycling markets.
*The bill would authorize $650 million per year from 2026 through 2035, about $6.5 billion total, increasing federal spending.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New EPA food waste grants
This bill would create an EPA grant program to cut food waste. It would aim to reduce food waste 50% by 2035 versus 2015. The bill would authorize $650 million a year for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035, to remain available until spent. States, local, territorial, Tribal governments, nonprofits, and partnerships could apply, though some grant types would not accept nonprofits. Grants could fund projects, data collection, pricing rules, technical help, limits on landfill/incineration, and market policies. Grant winners would report results to EPA and EPA would publish annual progress to Congress.
Definitions for food waste program
This bill would define key words for the EPA food waste program. "Food waste" would mean any uneaten food and inedible parts. "Source separated organics" would be organic waste separated by the waste generator, may include items meeting ASTM D6400 or D6868, and would not include mixed solid waste. "Nonprofit organization" would be a 501(c)(3) organization exempt under 501(a). The bill would also define upcycle, recycle, rescue, and prevent for program use.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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