Top: Recology Organics in McMinnville, Oregon composts source separated organics, including food waste. Photo courtesy of Recology

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was selected to receive a Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grant (CPRIG) from the U.S. EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation in July 2024. The DEQ is being awarded $197,181,796 to implement its Climate Equity and Resilience Through Action (CERTA) program that focuses on greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in three primary sectors: buildings, transportation, and waste and materials management. Estimated GHG reductions between 2025-2030 are 1.2 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO₂e). Cumulative estimated reductions between 2025-2050 are 6.6 MMTCO₂e.

The waste and materials management initiative will focus on improving and expanding food waste recovery infrastructure such as anaerobic digestion and composting in the state of Oregon. The following description is on DEQ’s CERTA webpage: “Each of these end-of-life treatments reduces net emissions from the decomposition of wasted food, by preventing the emissions of methane while producing useful co-products like soil amendments, renewably sourced electricity, or animal feed. Through interagency collaborations or a competitive RFP process, DEQ will identify an external party to oversee a grants program making awards to build new or expand existing food waste recovery infrastructure by funding improvements and equipment purchases, and fund smaller-scale infrastructure projects, prioritizing underserved communities, to encourage localized collection of food waste for composting that supports local food production. Based on information about local conditions gathered from partners — local governments, community-based groups, and statewide non-profits and associations — DEQ estimates that CPRIG funds will allow Oregon to increase food waste processing capacity through 18 to 20 preprocessing or facility upgrade equipment purchases, establish one to two new processing facilities, and fund three to four new community composting programs. The ultimate number of awards and funding amount will be determined by competitive grant processes that will solicit detailed project plans, timelines, and budgets from applicants.”