The clean water fund (CWF) rethink disposable is a data-driven source reduction program that provides direct assistance to food businesses, institutions, and governments to convert to reusable foodware

The Clean Water Fund will receive $891,274 under a cooperative agreement award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to expand its Rethink Disposable program. Funded by NOAA's Marine Debris Program, the 24-month project aims to convert 120-150 food businesses and three institutions in up to eight coastal and Great Lakes states to reusable foodware. This will eliminate an estimated 5-8 million pieces of single-use food packaging per year going forward. Clean Water Fund will develop training, materials, data tools and communications to support expanding the program, which has successfully reduced disposable foodware in California, to additional target regions that are major sources of marine debris. The training and resources provided under this cooperative agreement will help identify, assess and reduce a core contributor to marine litter within the United States.

This 24-month project will expand CWF's successful california program to over six states on the east coast and great lakes. CWF has selected prime business districts, institutions, government agencies, and environmental justice communities in up to eight targeted coastal and great lake states across the country - among them, california, minnesota, michigan, new jersey, pennsylvania, connecticut, rhode island and massachusetts. IT targets the largest source of inland trash - single-use food and beverage packaging. Clean water fund will develop a training program, materials, data management tools and a communications strategy to support program expansion. The project will eliminate 5-8 million pieces of single-use foodware per year going forward by converting 120-150 businesses and 3 inst