Latest Topic Brief
Our Impact at a Glance - April 2026
Latest Agency Update
Agency Update
Agency Update - Spring 2026
Updated Apr 28, 2026
StopWaste.Org Gets a Fresh Look Our website, StopWaste.org, is the most visible face of the Agency, and a key tool for connecting people to our work—whether that’s taking action at home, navigating policies and requirements, or partnering with us. We approached this initiative with an incredible amount of intention and rigor from start to finish. Our Communications team focused on making the site clear and accessible, and ensuring it truly serves our communities, with a structure that better reflects our goals and priorities. The new website lets you navigate easily to find what you need
Recent News
Agency Update
Agency Update - Spring 2024
Updated Apr 18, 2024
Compost Happens! Video Premiere Public education on composting is vital to achieving SB 1383’s goal of keeping food scraps and other compostable materials out of the landfill and instead in the compost to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. In addition to requiring residents and businesses to properly sort organic waste, this state law requires cities and counties to purchase products, like compost, made from recovered organic waste to meet annual procurement targets. These products can be used directly or given away. Many cities in the county have
News
StopWaste Executive Director Elected SB 54 Advisory Board Chair
Updated Apr 23, 2025
Timothy Burroughs, executive director of StopWaste, was elected as the board chair with unanimous support from the board members, recognizing his extensive experience in representing the interests of local governments, prioritizing the needs of disadvantaged communities, and working effectively with large public agency boards.
Agency Update
Agency Update - Winter 2024
Updated Jan 23, 2024
New Grant Round Opens!
Spotlight on Tri-Valley Haven's Food Pantry
Tri-Valley Haven is a safe space that is committed to supporting its community members who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, or homelessness. Thanks to a Food Waste & Recovery grant from StopWaste, the nonprofit has been able to significantly increase the amount of fresh, healthy, and nutritious food they recover and provide through their food pantry. In addition, they have transitioned to a “client choice model” that empowers pantry visitorsNews
StopWaste Energy Council Chosen as Buildings Upgrade Prize Phase 1 Winner
Updated Jan 16, 2025
The U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office has announced the Buildings Upgrade Prize Phase 1 winners, and our Energy Council was among the teams chosen to move on to Phase 2. Buildings UP offers more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance over several phases to accelerate the deployment of equitable, widespread energy efficiency and efficient building electrification upgrades.
Agency Update
Agency Update - Fall 2023
Updated Oct 12, 2023
Grantee Spotlight: Schools Ramp Up with Reusables Many single-use foodware items contain toxic chemicals that can leach into food, accumulate in the body and lead to serious health problems. To eliminate this risk, while also reducing waste, five school districts in Alameda County are piloting stainless-steel reusable foodware to replace disposable lunch trays, food boats, and plastic sporks with the support of a StopWaste Reusable Foodware grant. Some pilots set up infrastructure to wash the dishes in-house while others use off-site dishwashing services. Continue reading to learn more about
News
StopWaste Executive Director Joins CalRecycle SB 54 Advisory Board
Updated Jan 16, 2025
A new State law, SB 54, known as the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, sets new goals to reduce plastic packaging and requires that all forms of single-use products be recyclable or compostable by 2032.
Agency Update
Agency Update - Summer 2023
Updated Jul 7, 2023
Congratulations Environmental Leadership Awardees! Six entities from different sectors including businesses, non profits, and school communities were honored at the June 8 StopWaste Board meeting. Awardees were recognized for their leadership and innovations in advancing environmental sustainability, waste prevention, and contributions to building healthy, climate-resilient communities in Alameda County. The award winners and categories are: Fertile GroundWorks – Livermore, Excellence in Community Engagement Common Vision and Good Eggs – Oakland, Excellence in Food Donation Partnerships Bay
Agency Update
Agency Update - Spring 2023
Updated Apr 13, 2023
New Disposable Food Service Ware Reduction and Reuse Ordinance We developed the StopWaste Model Ordinance for Disposable Food Service Ware Reduction and Reuse—a menu of policy options for Cities in Alameda County to consider adopting as part of their efforts to address single-use plastics and food packaging waste issues. The primary goal of the model ordinance is to reduce the demand for and consumption of problematic single-use foodware items, such as plastic and paper cups, plates, and utensils, that contribute to litter/ocean pollution, contaminate compost and recycling collection programs
News
BayREN Increases Rebates for Energy-Efficiency and Electrification Retrofits in Multifamily Buildings
Updated Nov 9, 2023
The Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) is pleased to announce new rebates for rental housing providers, including nonprofit developers and small, independent property owners, through the popular Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancement (BAMBE) program managed by StopWaste.
Agency Update
Agency Update - Winter 2023
Updated Jan 19, 2023
StopWaste Offers $1.1M in Grants for Waste Prevention We just launched our latest grants round, and this year, we increased available funding from $700K to $1.1M for projects focused on innovative approaches to preventing waste, building upstream infrastructure, and supporting local communities in Alameda County. Going beyond waste prevention, grant funding is designed to support efforts that boost resilient community food systems and address pressing issues such as food insecurity. The six grant categories are: Food Waste Prevention & Recovery (up to $20,000 per grant) Surplus Food Donation