July 12, 2023

Upcoming Meetings

CT DEEP Food Waste Prevention/Food Recovery

Working Session

July 18, 2023

1:00pm - 3:00pm

LOCATION

This is being planned as a hybrid event.

ZOOM & DEEP HQ (79 Elm St., Hartford)

DATE AND TIME

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

1:00pm - 3:00pm

DEEP is creating a Connecticut roadmap for food waste prevention and food recovery with assistance from an Environmental Defense Fund/ReFED Climate Fellow to help develop actionable policy direction. To achieve this, DEEP has been scheduling listening sessions to hear from different sectors in the food system.

The purpose of this Working Session is to present the information DEEP has learned so far and generate constructive feedback from those present to help shape the final roadmap. Our goal for this event is to hear legislative and programmatic recommendations to purse that align with current food systems work around food insecurity and food justice.  

Food is wasted at every level in the food system; from farms to food processing to grocery stores to our homes. Connecticut’s waste characterization study conducted in 2015 found 22% of our municipal solid waste is wasted food. And EPA estimates that 70% of that is edible; having the potential of being eaten. 

Please join us for this working session to hear what we know now and help us identify additional barriers and opportunities to improve food recovery for humans and animals and food waste prevention in Connecticut to create concrete policy.

JOIN VIRTUALLY

 Register HERE

For ZOOM meeting

Suggest joining via computer or tablet to be able to fully engage in this meeting.

__________

JOIN IN PERSON

Register HERE

For In-Person meeting

CT DEEP Headquarters

79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106

Parking information coming soon.

GAS CYLINDER EPR

Seeking Public Comments

The Department is requesting public comment on stewardship plans submitted in accordance with Section 22a-905h of the Connecticut General Statutes. These plans outline the collection, transportation, and processing of gas cylinders. Please submit any comments to DEEP.MMCAPlanning@ct.gov by August 11, 2023. 

The requirements for the plans can be found here. 

Proposed Gas Cylinder Stewardship Plans:

The Cylinder Collective Plan for Gas Cylinder Collection

The Propane Gas Association of New England Stewardship Plan for Gas Cylinder Collection, and Attachments

SodaStream Plan for Gas Cylinder Collection 

DEEP Announces $1.6 Million in Beverage Container Recycling Grant Awards in Urban Centers and Environmental Justice Communities 

Beverage Container Redemption Facilities to Receive Support to Improve Equitable Access to Services for CT Residents; Second Grant Round Now Open for Priority Areas on Rolling Basis Through Oct. 31 

(HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is pleased to announce the first round of grant awards for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant program. The grant program supports the establishment and expansion of beverage container redemption centers in urban centers and environmental justice communities. 

With container deposits scheduled to increase to 10 cents on January 1, 2024, and the expansion of new items covered by the bottle bill, the State anticipates a significant increase in demand for redemption center services. Many communities, particularly those in urban centers and environmental justice communities, lack reliable and convenient access to beverage container redemption locations. In this first round of funding, eight redemption facility operators have been notified of the DEEP’s intent to award funds totaling $1.6 million to improve services at existing facilities, and to support the establishment of one new facility.  

Full press release here: DEEP Announces 1-6 M in Beverage Container Recycling Grant Awards in Urban and EJ Communities (ct.gov) 

More information: Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program (ct.gov) 

From IRRWG

The City of Middletown, Connecticut has launched Fostering Circular Solutions for Takeout Containers, a program focused on helping businesses develop and adopt source reduction practices focused on reusable takeout containers.

City officials siting the single-use takeout containers as one of the top contributors to the waste stream, were awarded the EPA Healthy Communities Grant to work with the Center for Eco Technology on the initiative. Reuseables provided by USEFULL, will be available in three local eateries for the duration of the project. 

Congratulations to Mayor Ben Florsheim, Kim O'Rourke, Middletown's Recycling Coordinator and others who worked on this launch!

Read the full press release here.