National Restaurant Association, Us Composting Council To Develop Best Practices For Restaurateurs

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) and the US Composting Council (USCC) today announced their partnership to raise awareness about food waste diversion, composting education, and other sustainable activities for the benefit of restaurant operators of all sizes nationwide.

The NRA and USCC will share educational resources and identify collaborative opportunities that promote awareness of the role composting plays in waste reduction and improved soil and water quality.

"We are pleased to join with the US Composting Council to better serve our members by providing resources on composting, waste reduction, and other sustainability efforts they can adopt to strengthen their businesses," said Scott DeFife, Executive Vice President, Policy and Government Affairs for the NRA. "Our work together will also help better inform policy initiatives aimed at encouraging the expansion of composting services and facilities."

Michael Virga, Executive Director of the USCC, said he and his group are excited to work with the NRA and look forward to sharing information on best industry practices for composting and landfill diversion of food waste.

"The USCC and NRA, two esteemed associations, are teaming up to share resources and promote our complementary objectives of diverting organic residuals away from disposal and into good use." Virga continued, "These efforts will help NRA members' improve their environmental bottom line while helping our members' secure new sources of raw material for their compost manufacturing."

DeFife added, "As local governments increase their efforts to manage their environments, composting organic residuals can significantly reduce landfill impacts while creating a healthier ecosystem. This partnership represents a win-win for our communities and the environment."

The NRA plans to develop projects in concert with the USCC in the coming year. One goal is to expand the scope of the Conserve Sustainability Education Program, the NRA's online resource designed to initiate and inspire environmentally-friendly actions that also improve a company's bottom line.

This would not only increase the number of restaurateurs participating in food recovery and recycling programs but attempt to increase the availability of composting facilities for restaurant operators, a move that would stimulate job growth in the composting industry.

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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America's restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at Restaurant.org.

Established in 1990, the US Composting Council (USCC) is the only national organization in the United States dedicated to the development, expansion and promotion of the composting industry. The USCC is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization that also directs the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CCREF), a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, which administers public and private research and education activities. For additional information, visit www.compostingcouncil.org.