Plastic Waste Reduction Grants

earthday365 and the Green Dining Alliance have received access to two grants aimed at reducing Styrofoam and plastic waste. Both materials have significant negative effects on the environment:

• Traditional plastics take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose. As a result, they accumulate in neighborhoods, landfills, and waterways, causing persistent pollution.
• Styrofoam is particularly problematic because it deteriorates into smaller pieces called microplastics, which contaminate waterways and are ingested by people and animal life alike.
• The manufacture and use of plastics releases harmful chemicals that can leach into the environment, posing a threat to soil and water quality as well as human health.
• Styrofoam contains styrene, a chemical that can leach into food and liquids, especially when heated. Styrene is considered a potential human carcinogen.
• The production of these materials requires fossil fuel extraction and energy-intensive processes, contributing to CO2 emissions and climate change.
• While some types of plastic can be recycled, the vast majority (roughly 80%) ends up in landfills.

The disposable economy in the U.S. exploded after World War II and was a major driver of the original Earth Day celebrations and environmental actions in the 1960s and 70s. The litter problem was becoming too widespread to ignore. The COVID pandemic led to a proliferation of even more disposable packaging, raising costs for restaurants and sending more trash to our landfills, neighborhoods, and waterways. The growing consensus among industry and environmental groups is “The future of food service is reusable.”

earthday365 and the Green Dining Alliance are excited to offer two grants to help mitigate these problems locally and incentivize local businesses to reduce plastic waste.

The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) grant from the EPA gives qualifying food and beverage businesses up to $500 in reimbursable funding to replace plastic disposable packaging with reusable products. The Plastic Waste Reduction Grant is designed to help your business see the cost savings and environmental benefits of switching to reusable products. (Note: You must be a GDA member can qualify.) Download the form here [PDF].

The second grant comes from the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) and the EPA. This Plastic Free Waters Grant gives local businesses access to up to $1000 in environmentally friendly products to help remove Styrofoam and plastics from their food and drink operations. Complete the Plastic Use Reduction Pledge [PDF] (Spanish language version) and learn how to qualify.

Examples of possible uses of the grant funding: