EPA News Release: EPA Recognizes 26 Mid-Atlantic Colleges for Food Donation and Waste Diversion Efforts

Contact: Donna Heron 215-814-5113 / heron.donna@epa.gov  EPA Recognizes 26 Mid-Atlantic Colleges for Food Donation and Waste Diversion Efforts Schools take on challenge to feed people, reduce millions of tons of food waste PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 19, 2013) – Twenty-six colleges and universities in the Mid-Atlantic Region have joined EPA's Food Recovery Challenge (FRC) to date, including five schools that joined the challenge in the last month: Chatham University, University of Virginia, Towson University, Dickenson College and the University of Pittsburgh.   The Food Recovery Challenge encourages colleges, universities, and other organizations to donate and divert as much of their excess food as possible. Organizations that join EPA's challenge find that they not only save money, but they also feed the needy, and help protect the environment at the same time.    "The food donations to hunger-relief organizations made by colleges and other institutions can help the one in six Americans who don't know where their next meal is coming from," said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. "In addition to feeding the hungry, the food donations go a long way to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering disposal costs for their campus. The Food Recovery Challenge is truly a win-win situation."    In 2011, the U.S. created more than 36 million tons of food waste, making food waste the #1 material sent to landfills. Once landfilled, food decomposes rapidly and becomes a major source of methane, a powerful and harmful greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.   Food waste generated by local institutions, hospitals, colleges, universities and restaurants is often actually safe, wholesome food that could feed millions of Americans, according to both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and EPA. EPA is working with institutions and hunger-relief organizations to increase food donations. Composting food waste also leads to important environmental outcomes. Composted food waste creates a valuable soil product that can be used to enhance the quality of soils.   Participating colleges and universities: Mercyhurst University Messiah College Shippensburg University Penn State Erie, The Behrend College Eastern University Friends ‘ Central School, Wynnewood (Prep School) Cabrini College Keystone College Millersville University Ursinus College Lehigh University Franklin and Marshall College University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown Westminster College Valley Forge Christian College Juniata College Chatham University University of Virginia Towson University Dickenson College University of Pittsburgh James Madison University Howard University American University Marshall University West Virginia University   For more information on EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge, go to: http://www.epa.gov/foodrecoverychallenge/.   For more information on EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program, go to: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/smm/index.htm. You can unsubscribe or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems, please e-mail subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com for assistance.  This service is provided to you at no charge by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.    This email was sent to elmasry.webmaster@gmail.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington DC 20460 · 202-564-4355