Contact Us About Sustainable Management of Food

Please review the below answers to some of the most common questions. If your question is not answered to your satisfaction, please use the contact us box at the bottom of the page. We strive to respond to every question with a complete and timely answer.

A few helpful hints:  

• Are you a member of the media? Please contact EPA’s Office of Media Relations at [email protected].  
• I am wondering where to recycle something. 
• Review frequently asked questions for specific programs or topics. 

Got Questions About… 

The "National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics."

• The goal of the strategy is to prevent the loss and waste of food and increase recycling of food and other organic materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save households and businesses money, and build cleaner, healthier communities. The four main objectives in the strategy are:
  • Objective 1: Prevent food loss.
  • Objective 2: Prevent food waste.
  • Objective 3: Increase the recycling rate for all organic waste.
  • Objective 4: Support policies that incentivize and encourage the prevention of food loss and waste and organics recycling.
• For more information and to read the Strategy, visit the "National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics" webpage.

United States 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal.

• On September 16, 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and EPA announced the U.S. 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction goal, the first-ever domestic goal to reduce food loss and waste. The goal seeks to cut food loss and waste in half by the year 2030. By acting on this goal, the U.S. can reduce climate and environmental impacts associated with food loss and waste while improving food security and saving money for families and businesses.
• EPA, USDA, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formed a Federal Interagency Collaboration to Reduce Food Loss and Waste, and together work with communities, organizations and businesses, along with our partners in state, Tribal and local government, to take actions that will lead us closer to achieving the national goal.

Sustainable Management of Food.

• Sustainable Management of Food is an approach that seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, consumption, and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal.
• EPA promotes innovation and highlights the efficient management of food as a resource. Through the sustainable management of food, we can conserve resources for future generations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, help businesses and consumers save money, and provide access to food for those who do not have enough to eat. For more information, check out the Sustainable Management of Food Basics webpage.  

Food Waste, Conserving Resources, and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

• Reducing wasted food saves resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, reduces methane from landfills, returns nutrients to the soil, and supports a circular economy.   
• In 2021, the EPA released the first of two reports in a series on the environmental impacts of wasted food to inform domestic policymakers, researchers, and the public about the environmental benefits that can be achieved by reducing U.S. food loss and waste. The Part 1 report, From Farm to Kitchen: The Environmental Impacts of U.S. Food Waste, examines the environmental impacts of wasted food from production to consumption. EPA released Part 2, From Field to Bin: The Environmental Impacts of U.S. Food Waste Management Pathways, in 2023, which completes the analysis by examining the different ways wasted food is managed. The results of this research are the basis for EPA’s Wasted Food Scale. 

Composting.

• For more information on composting, refer to our Approaches to Composting webpage.  

Commercial and Industrial Composting.

• Commercial and industrial composting happen at large-scale composting facilities designed to handle a high volume of organic materials. These facilities may provide composting services to the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. They can divert significant quantities of organic materials from disposal facilities. The facilities may be centralized, drawing feedstocks from a wide, regional geographic area, or they may be located at and serve an individual industrial site. Commercial composting facilities often rely on tipping fees, contracts with local governments and compost sales to support their operations. 

Donating Food.

• Many non-perishable and unspoiled perishable foods can be donated to local food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters. In the 2022 Food Code, the FDA clarified for the first time that food donations from food retailers are acceptable as long as proper food safety practices are followed. Check with your local food bank or food rescue operation to find out what items they will accept.  
• Learn about Food Safety Basics or contact your state or local health department for information on how to safely donate food. More information on food safety can be found in Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic’s Food Safety Regulations & Guidance for Food Donations: A Fifty-State Survey of State Practices (pdf)(1.24 MB).  
• For more information on donating foods, check out the Food Donation Basics webpage. 

Anaerobic Digestion.

• For more information on anaerobic digestion, from basic information such as “what is anaerobic digestion” to tools and resources and publications, check out our Anaerobic Digestion website.

Contact Information

Do you have questions about the Sustainable Management of Food or how you can reduce wasted food? Contact an EPA representative in your region of the United States. Click on the map below for a regional representative's contact information:

Headquarters in Washington, DC

Jamie Lutz, [email protected], (202) 566-1517

Region 1 Office for New England

Christine Beling, [email protected], 617-918-1792

Region 2 Office in New York

Rachel Chaput, [email protected], 212-637-4116

Region 3 Office for the Mid-Atlantic

Elana Goldstein, [email protected], 215-814-5665

Region 4 Office for the Southeast

Thornell Cheeks, [email protected], 404-562-8479

Region 5 Office for the Great Lakes

Julie Schilf, [email protected], 312-886-0407

Region 6 Office for the South Central

Stephen Sturdivant, [email protected], 214-665-6673

Region 7 Office for the Midwest

Gayle Hubert, [email protected], 913-551-7439

Region 8 Office for the Mountains & Plains

Patrick Wauters, [email protected], 303-312-6114

Region 9 Office for the Pacific Southwest and Hawaii

Andre Villasenor, [email protected], 213-244-1813

Region 10 Office for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

Domenic Calabro, [email protected], 206-553-6640

Kendra Tyler, [email protected], 206-553-0041

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Our "In the Loop with EPA: Circular Economy Updates" newsletter shares announcements and funding opportunities from EPA and our partners on the topics of food waste, recycling, municipal solid waste, and the built environment. Sign up today!

Check Out Our Related FAQ Webpages  

• Circular Economy Strategy for All Series.
• Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling.
• Sustainable Management of Electronics.
• Sustainable Management of Plastics.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
• Waste Reduction Model for Tracking Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Associated with Waste Reduction.

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