The Zero Food Waste Act would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to create a competitive grant program to help states, local governments, tribal governments, territorial governments, nonprofits, and partnerships reduce food waste. The bill defines food waste broadly and allows grants for studies, data collection, public reporting, planning, technical assistance, and on-the-ground reduction projects. Eligible activities include prevention, rescue of surplus food, upcycling, recycling, and other methods that keep food waste out of landfills and incinerators.
The bill sets a national goal of reducing food waste by 50 percent by 2035, compared with 2015 levels. It also requires annual EPA reporting to Congress and the public on program effectiveness and progress toward that target. The bill authorizes $650 million per year from fiscal years 2026 through 2035, to remain available until expended.
If enacted, the bill would create a new federal EPA grant program and associated reporting framework focused on food waste reduction. It would not directly amend existing state waste laws, but it would influence state, local, tribal, and territorial waste management policies by funding planning, infrastructure, data systems, and operational changes that reduce disposal of food waste in landfills and incinerators. It also sets special conditions for anaerobic digestion projects, including feedstock limits and end-product recycling requirements, which could affect composting, organics recycling, and waste-to-energy practices.
No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded debate or roll-call history to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears policy-driven and implementation-focused, with an emphasis on measurable reductions, public reporting, and targeted grants. The overall framing suggests a constructive environmental and waste-reduction approach rather than a partisan or highly controversial one.
The main potential points of contention are likely to be the size of the authorization, the federal role in shaping local waste policy, and the regulatory conditions attached to certain projects. The bill prioritizes grants for communities of color, low-income communities, and tribal communities, which may draw support as an environmental justice measure but could also prompt debate over grant allocation criteria. Requirements for anaerobic digestion projects, including limits on animal waste feedstock and restrictions on end-product use, may also be debated by agricultural, composting, and waste-management stakeholders.