This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to the university of northern iowa's iowa waste reduction center (IWRC)

The University of Northern Iowa received a $175,159 Project Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 under the Pollution Prevention Grants Program (CFDA 66.708), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. Funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), this award supports the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC) in delivering pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance to Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs) nationwide who seek to develop P2 programs targeting the brewery industry. The initiative aligns with EPA's National Emphasis Area #1, which prioritizes sustainable food and beverage manufacturing and processing to reduce toxic air emissions, water discharges, water and energy usage, and hazardous materials generation.

The IWRC will deliver comprehensive capacity-building products and services including four training webinars for TAPs across the country, six instructional short videos, three case studies documenting implemented P2 strategies, three success stories highlighting program outcomes, and a dedicated project webpage with a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map. These deliverables are designed to equip technical assistance providers with the knowledge, tools, and real-world examples necessary to assist breweries in adopting source reduction practices that reduce operational costs while minimizing environmental impact and protecting human health.

The recipient will provide technical assistance (e.g., information, training, tools) to businesses to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices (also known as pollution prevention (P2)). P2 means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. P2 practices can help businesses save money by reducing their resource use, expenditures, waste and liability costs, while at the same time reducing their environmental footprint and helping to protect human health and the environment. Specifically, the project work will provide technical assistance and training to P2 technical assistance providers (TAPS) across the nation that want to develop their own P2 program for breweries.activities:the priorities for P2 technical assistance (information, training, and tools) align with the US environmental protection agency's national emphasis area (NEA) #1, food and beverage manufacturing and processing, which focuses on carrying out P2 technical assistance and projects to support more sustainable food and beverage manufacturing and processing entities in north american industry classification system (NAICS) codes 311 and 3121 resulting in reduced toxic air emissions or water discharges, water or energy usage, hazardous materials generation and use. Specifically, the project activities will address the following: develop materials for and host four (4) training webinars targeting TAPS across the country; develop materials for six (6) short videos for the project; develop three (3) case studies on P2 strategies implemented; develop three (3) success stories; and develop a webpage and geographic information systems (GIS) map specifically for the project.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the technical assistance conducted by the recipient will benefit facilities. The recipient is expected to report on P2 performance measures (outputs and outcomes) and note who will benefit from the technical assistance as well as commit to following up with facilities to find out whether the technical assistance was adopted and implemented. The anticipated deliverables include developing materials for (P2 best practices checklist, window clings, recommendations report template, environmental plan template) and hosting four (4) training webinars targeting TAPS across the country; developing materials for (webpage, registration page, four (4) social media posts, four (4) newsletter articles, survey/evaluation) six (6) short videos for the project; develop three (3) case studies on P2 strategies implemented; develop three (3) success stories; and develop a webpage and geographic information systems (GIS) map specifically for the project. The expected outcomes include increased guidance through developing and implementing phases of a P2 program for breweries, increased awareness and inquiries from other breweries working alongside breweries that have received P2 technical assistance, and increased opportunity for replicability. The intended beneficiaries include technical assistance providers across the nation that want to develop their own P2 program for breweries.