EPA Regional Administrator Highlights Food Recovery
"As food rots in a landfill, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. At the same time, one in six Americans lack access to the nutrition they need to live an active, healthy life," according to EPA.
U.S. EPA Region 9 Administrator Jared Blumenfeld will join San Francisco Department of the Environment Director Debbie Raphael, Food Runners Director Mary Risley, and HealthRIGHT 360 CEO Vitka Eisen on Feb. 3 to discuss food recovery efforts in the city, efforts that align with the City of San Francisco's zero waste focus, during Super Bowl 50. San Francisco is hosting a bevy of Super Bowl events this week, with tens of thousands of people enjoying the local fare, and food recovery efforts such as those led by the local nonprofit Food Runners help to ensure that excess food is kept out of bay area landfills and provided to people in need.
The event, which national EPA's website has highlighted, is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. local time.
It highlights the fact that Americans throw away more food than any other type of waste each year, almost 35 million tons, and much of it still edible. "As food rots in a landfill, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. At the same time, one in six Americans lack access to the nutrition they need to live an active, healthy life," according to EPA, which reports that San Francisco has implemented mandatory green event and composting ordinances.
Food Runners San Francisco recovers 17 tons of food each week and redistributes it to those in need.