Countless tonnes of food are wasted each year.
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Grants are now available to support projects that reduce food waste.
Councils and food relief agencies can now apply for a share of $2 million in grants to help rescue surplus food before it is sent to landfill.
Grants of up to $200,000 are available over two years to support projects that raise awareness and improve education on food rescue.
Goulburn MP Pru Goward said more needed to be done to reduce the amount of good food wasted each year which could be put to better use.
“We need to increase the volume of food donated and capture more good food before it becomes a waste,” she said.
A council spokesman said it did not have a specific program to match the grants.
“However as per all state and federal funding programs which come across the table, council will always weigh up any funding opportunities on a needs basis in-line with existing or future council community programs and initiatives,” he said.
The spokesman said council ran a number of food waste reduction, home composting and worm farming workshops on a regular basis at the Resource Recovery Centre.
Previous NSW Government funding for vans, fridges and freezers has helped divert 6,000 tonnes of surplus food from landfill each year.
Environment Minster Gabrielle Upton said the grants would help make sure good food didn’t go to waste.
“These grants will ultimately lead to less good quality food going in landfill and instead the food will go to people in need,” she said.
Applications are open until November 22.
Visit http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/grants/organics-infrastructure-fund for more information.
NSW EPA staff are available to help charities prepare applications.