ODNR PARTNERS WITH OHIO GROCERS TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE

COLUMBUS, OH - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is joining with Ohio grocers to reduce the amount of food waste currently going into the state's landfills and find productive reuses for cast-off produce, damaged consumables, packaging and other supermarket by-products.

ODNR has awarded a $26,625 grant to develop a "how-to" handbook for 650 members of the Ohio Grocers Association who seek to implement in-store food waste composting programs. ODNR is also helping the association develop a pilot program that involves member stores and the state's four commercial food waste composting operations.

"This partnership is an excellent example of green principles being put into real world practice," said Sean Logan, ODNR director. "Through this cooperative agreement, public dollars are extended, applied to filling a recognized need in the marketplace and focused on where they can do the most good."

The 2003 Waste Characterization Study conducted by the ODNR Division of Recycling & Litter Prevention showed waste food accounted for about 15 percent of material deposited in Ohio landfills - the third largest identifiable item (by weight) discarded into these facilities. Much of this waste is damaged or unmarketable produce and packaged goods, as well as packaging from grocery stores.

In an effort to stem this waste stream, the division funded several efforts to support waste food recycling, including more than $1 million in grants to three Ohio businesses that compost waste food into soil additives. In 2006, the agency directed a $15,000 federal grant to a food waste awareness project in Erie County.

Most recently, ODNR supported a food waste composting pilot program at the 2007 Ohio State Fair that served as a model for other events at the Ohio Expo Center, including the current Quarter Horse Congress.

Details of the pilot project and the handbook will be announced at the Ohio Grocers Association annual fall conference on October 23 at the Midwest Hotel & Conference Center, 4900 Sinclair Road, in Columbus. Theme of the conference is "The Green Issue," focusing attention on the environmental impacts of retail and wholesale groceries.

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For Additional Information, Contact:
Terri TerMeer, ODNR Division of Recycling
(614) 265-6424
-or-
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6860
-or-
Tonya Woodruff, Ohio Grocers Foundation
(614) 442-5511