# Zero Food Waste Act: Plain Language Summary

The Zero Food Waste Act creates a federal grant program to help reduce the amount of food waste Americans throw away. The Environmental Protection Agency would distribute up to $650 million per year through 2033 to states, local governments, nonprofits, and tribal organizations that want to tackle food waste in their communities. The goal is ambitious: cut food waste in half by 2030 compared to 2010 levels.

The grants can be used in several practical ways. Organizations can study how much food waste their area generates and develop plans to reduce it. They can collect and publish data about local food waste to help track progress. They can also fund actual waste-reduction projects, like starting composting programs, creating food rescue operations that redirect surplus food to people who need it, or setting up anaerobic digesters that convert food waste into energy and soil amendments. The bill also allows communities to use pricing strategies—charging more to throw food waste in landfills while offering incentives for waste-reduction activities—to encourage better practices.

The bill prioritizes funding for communities that have been hit hardest by environmental problems, including low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. It also gives preference to areas that already have food waste programs but need more resources to expand them. Every grant recipient must report back to the EPA on their results, and the agency must publish annual reports to Congress showing whether the program is actually working to meet the 50 percent reduction goal. This ensures taxpayers can see what impact their money is having on the nation's food waste problem.

Zero Food Waste Act

Brownley, Julia

Zero Food Waste Act This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a grant program to study and reduce food waste.