<div dir="ltr"><div><img src="cid:ii_lgwg3z0w1" alt="image.png" width="196" height="75" style="margin-right:0px">     <font color="#38761d">Here is an update on what is happening nationally with the <span style="font-family:"Open Sans",Arial">National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution and food waste.  The bottom line is that we are moving in the wrong direction when it comes to reducing food waste. </span><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img src="cid:ii_lgwg3ihu0" alt="image.png" width="443" height="126"><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border-radius:8px;border:0px solid rgb(0,0,0);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:padding-box;background-clip:padding-box;color:rgb(33,37,41);font-family:"open sans",None,Arial;font-size:14px"><h1 style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-family:"open sans",arial;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(7,127,76);font-size:24px;background-repeat:repeat;background-color:transparent"><a href="https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2023/04/24/epa-weighs-in-on-cuts-to-plastic-production-food-waste/" title="Permalink to EPA weighs in on cuts to plastic production, food waste" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(7,127,76);text-decoration-line:none;background-color:transparent;background-repeat:repeat" target="_blank">EPA weighs in on cuts to plastic production, food waste</a></h1></div><div style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-size:14px;font-family:"open sans",arial;color:rgb(179,179,179)"><div style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">Published: April 24, 2023<br style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">Updated: </span>April 24, 2023<br style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">by </span><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none;max-width:74px"><a href="https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/author/jared-paben/" title="View all posts by Jared Paben" rel="author" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(40,130,50);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:middle" target="_blank">Jared Paben</a></span></div><div style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;background:padding-box padding-box transparent;border-radius:0px;border:0px solid rgb(0,0,0)"><div id="m_5277237672838354615gmail-attachment_14596" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px auto;padding:5px 3px 10px;clear:both;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;border:0px solid rgb(255,255,255);max-width:100%;text-align:center;width:990px"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14596" alt="" width="980" height="654" src="https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/10/food-waste-20191007-By-KariDesign-shutterstock_619780856-web.jpg" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;height:auto;max-width:100%;vertical-align:middle;border:0px solid transparent;opacity:1;border-radius:0px;width:auto"><p id="m_5277237672838354615gmail-caption-attachment-14596" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px 4px 5px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);text-align:left;line-height:17px;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><em style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">The EPA recently published an estimate of U.S. food waste in the food retail/service and residential sectors.</em> | <em style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">KariDesign/Shutterstock</em></p></div><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">The U.S. EPA released a plastics pollution plan that supports steps to reduce production of single-use and difficult-to-recycle plastics. Meanwhile, the agency released data showing the county is moving in the wrong direction on food waste.</span><span id="m_5277237672838354615gmail-more-27262" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"></span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">The following are details on the two recent EPA announcements. </span></p><h3 style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:12px 0px;padding:0px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(20,36,61);font-size:1.43em"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-weight:bolder">Draft plastic pollution plan released</span></h3><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">EPA on April 21 </span><a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-latest-steps-reduce-plastic-pollution-nationwide" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(40,130,50);background-color:transparent;font-family:"open sans",arial" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">published a draft</span></a><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"> of its “National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution,” and the agency is </span><a href="https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/draft-national-strategy-prevent-plastic-pollution" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(40,130,50);background-color:transparent;font-family:"open sans",arial" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">seeking comments</span></a><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"> on it.</span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">Although it does not include the word “ban,” the </span><a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/Draft_National_Strategy_to_Prevent_Plastic_Pollution.pdf" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(40,130,50);background-color:transparent;font-family:"open sans",arial" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">48-page document</span></a><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"> lays out a number of steps to reduce plastic pollution, including addressing impacts during plastic production and post-use material management, including preventing plastic from entering waterways and cleaning up the material that’s already in the environment. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">Of course, boosting collection and recycling factors heavily in the plan, but EPA also touched on a point of sharp contention: reducing plastic production. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">In a section focused on reducing “production and consumption of single-use, unrecyclable, or frequently littered plastic products,” the EPA suggested a number of steps should be taken.</span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">Specifically, the agency called for creating a list of these products and alternative materials, then sharing it with public and private entities around the country so they can use it in their purchasing decisions. And EPA called for the setting of a new national voluntary goal to reduce production of the items on the list. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">“This new goal would help galvanize action across the country, support and promote the use of alternative products and reuse programs,” the plan states.</span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">Additionally, EPA called for the federal government to create a plan to reduce federal procurement of single-use, non-recyclable/difficult-to-recycle and often-littered plastic products. It suggested an innovation challenge to encourage development of alternative products. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">Lastly, the EPA’s strategy suggested the federal government conduct a study to “identify effective policy tools and approaches to reduce production of single-use, unrecyclable or frequently littered plastic products.”</span></p><h3 style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:12px 0px;padding:0px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(20,36,61);font-size:1.43em"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-weight:bolder">Environmental and industry groups react</span></h3><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">A number of groups have issued public statements in response to the draft. </span><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">The Ocean Conservancy’s Anja Brandon said it’s “particularly notable to see a commitment to producing fewer single-use, unrecyclable and frequently littered plastic products. Analysis of 35 years’ worth of data from Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup shows that roughly 70% of the most commonly collected items from beaches and waterways across the world are effectively unrecyclable, and of these, nearly half are food- and beverage-related items.”</span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">On the other side of the debate, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), released a statement taking issue with the suggestion of plastics reductions and embrace of alternatives. In that statement, ACC’s Joshua Baca pointed to components of the strategy that “risk sending plastic manufacturing and jobs overseas where plastic is often made with less stringent environmental standards and more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.”</span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">“We caution the Administration that prescribing alternative materials, capping plastic production or limiting innovative recycling technologies could work against its climate objectives as plastic almost always has a lower life cycle GHG footprint compared to paper and metal,” he added. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">EPA </span><a href="https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_sZdhInHTS8y1DsZU0pVYeg" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(40,130,50);background-color:transparent;font-family:"open sans",arial" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">will hold a webinar</span></a><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"> on the draft strategy from 1-2 p.m. Eastern time on May 11. </span></p><h3 style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:12px 0px;padding:0px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(20,36,61);font-size:1.43em"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-weight:bolder">Food waste data unveiled</span></h3><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">In other EPA news, the agency </span><a href="https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/food-material-specific-data" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(40,130,50);background-color:transparent;font-family:"open sans",arial" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">published data</span></a><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px"> showing the country is moving in the wrong direction when it comes to the federal government’s food waste reduction goals. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">The EPA aims to cut in half the amount of food that never makes it into a human’s mouth and is instead composted, digested, landfilled, sent to the sewage treatment plant, burned, littered or otherwise wasted under the agency’s definition. Specifically, the agency is looking at the food retail/service and residential sectors, not any food that’s wasted in the agricultural sector. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">In 2016, those sectors wasted 328 pounds per capita. EPA’s 2030 goal is to halve that to 164 pounds per person. But according to the newly published “2019 Wasted Food Report,” the U.S. averaged 349 pounds per capita in 2019. That was up from 335 pounds per capita in 2018. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">That means that between 2016, the baseline year, and 2019, per-capita food leaving the human food supply chain in the food retail, food service and residential sectors increased by 6%. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">“The U.S. has a long way to go to meet [the 2030] goal,” the report notes. </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">In terms of overall weight, in 2019 those sectors generated 66.2 million tons of food waste. Of that, 40% was from households, 40% was from food service providers and 20% was from food retailers. Nearly 60% of all of it was landfilled. It’s important to note that the numbers above don’t just include otherwise edible food but also include peels, bones and other portions that were never supposed to be consumed by humans anyway.  </span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:10px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:"Open Sans",Arial;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:1.42;background:padding-box padding-box rgba(255,255,255,0)"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px">The report also included data on the 40.1 million tons of food waste in the food manufacturing and processing sectors in 2019. Much of that went to anaerobic digestion. </span></p></div></div></div></div>