Research Reports

Composting is part of a holistic approach to reducing municipal food waste that also includes food waste prevention and rescue of surplus food.  By turning food scraps into a natural soil amendment that can be used in city gardens and landscaping and improve soil health and water retention without the use of artificial fertilizers, composting provides myriad benefits, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic materials away from landfills where they emit methane.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as many tribes and local governments, establish health and safety standards for licensed child care. This report discusses how state laws and regulations address one pollutant that may pose a health hazard at some child care facilities: Radon.

Millions of households across the U.S. use wood stoves, fireplaces, and other wood-burning devices as a primary or secondary source of heat. Residential wood burning produces a multitude of air pollutants – most prominently particulate matter, which is linked to cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and other systemic health effects. Wood burning also releases carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and toxic pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Nature-based strategies are actions that use the conservation or restoration of nature, such as ecosystems like wetlands, or green infrastructure projects, to address the risks from natural hazards.  Nature-based mitigation strategies can help reduce the likelihood of future hazards occurring and minimize negative impacts when they do occur.