CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A Chicago university is trying to reduce food waste.
The U.S. Environmental Protection announced Oct. 1 it selected the University of Illinois at Chicago – Energy Resources Center to receive $300,000 in funding to help divert food waste from landfills.
UIC will do so by expanding the use of anaerobic digesters, a process where microorganisms break down organic materials, such as food scraps, manure and sewage sludge, all in the absence of oxygen.
"There are numerous benefits to using anaerobic digesters for managing wasted food, including improving air quality, producing biogas and materials that improve soil health," said UIC Regional Administrator Kurt Thiede in a statement. "The work of the University of Illinois at Chicago and its partners to expand the use of anaerobic digesters will help divert food waste from our landfills and protect the planet."
The program will develop a technical and educational assistance program to aid public water resource recovery facilities and community digesters.
The project, "Technical Education and Analysis for Community Hauling and Anaerobic Digesters (TEACH AD)," led by the school's University of Illinois at Chicago's Energy Resources Center, will partner with state agencies, industry experts, water resource recovery facilities and communities, while leveraging the U.S. Department of Energy's technical assistance outreach programs.
"The University of Illinois Chicago is excited to help communities and water resource recovery facilities in the Midwest region divert food waste from landfills by providing education and no-cost technical assistance to explore the increased adoption of anaerobic digester and renewable energy biogas technologies," said Pete Nelson, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago, in a statement.
