Zero Food Waste Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a new EPA grant program with the goal of cutting food waste in the United States by 50% by 2035, compared to 2015 levels. The EPA would award competitive grants to states, local governments, Tribal governments, and nonprofits.
• Grants can fund a wide range of activities: studying how much food is wasted locally, developing waste reduction plans, running food rescue operations, building composting or recycling infrastructure, and implementing pricing policies that discourage landfill disposal.
• The bill authorizes $650 million per year for 10 years (fiscal years 2026 through 2035), totaling $6.5 billion. The funds would remain available until spent, giving grantees flexibility in timing their projects.
• The EPA must prioritize grants for communities of color, low-income communities, and Tribal communities that have been disproportionately harmed by pollution and environmental problems.
• Grant recipients must report their results to the EPA, and the EPA must publish annual reports to Congress tracking how well the program is working toward the 50% food waste reduction goal.