New York State In-depth

Businesses can no longer commit food waste recycling as a West Coast initiative

Olga Kachook is Director of Innovation for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, a membership organization that is a project of GreenBlue, a non-profit organization dedicated to the sustainable use of materials in society.

As more programs become available across the country and composting facilities are introduced and expanded to meet demand, it is outdated for anyone to still view food waste recycling as a “West Coast” initiative. 2022 was a strong year for repeat food waste recycling programs Growth 2021 and continuing a trend of savvy communities focusing on food waste diversion programs.

Food waste recycling is spreading across the country

In the past year, more communities are realizing the environmental benefits and cost-saving potential of diverting food waste with new or expanded housing programs. Composting plants were often in the starting blocks with increased capacity.

In the Northeast, exciting and long-overdue changes have taken place in some of the region’s largest urban areas, including expanded roadside access NYC and Boston and strong growth in Portland, Maine Drop off program. Other programs included Brookline, Massachusetts Curbside pickup and a drop-in program Erie County, Paas well as state-funded pilot projects in From the seas and Westhaven, Connecticutto collect material using existing garbage trucks with separately colored sacks.

In New York State alone, which by 2022 will require certain commercial growers to donate and recycle food waste, a notable number of cities and counties have joined the discussion on food waste recycling, Millcreek, Greene County, Columbia County, Orange County, Philipstown, Beacon, Rhinebeck, and Red Hook all expanded access to home composting programs.

in the midwest, Ann Arbor Michigan County of Ottawa, Michigan, Ottertail County, Minnesota, Ghanna, Ohio, Upper Arlington, Ohio, and Madison, Wisconsin, all started or expanded compost delivery programs.

Composting spread further south Charleston County, South Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee, and Bowling Green, Tennessee; Frederick, Marylandand Prince George’s County, Maryland; Richmond, Va; and Fort Worth, Texas.

In the West, despite unique mountain conditions and transportation distances, composting programs are increasing in Alpine communities mass of snow and Telluride, Colorado, Teton County, Wyomingand Los Alamos County, New Mexico.

Facilities are also being expanded to meet demand.

Across the country, at least a dozen facilities have expanded their operations, modified their processes to accept food waste or degrade materials more quickly, and experimented with new technologies.

California’s SB 1383 powered facilities for expansion Eureka, Ventura County, Placer County, Yolo Countyand across Southern California. Elsewhere, there has been growth and expansion in composting facilities in Stanwood, Washington, Delta County, Coloradoand near Albany, New Yorkwhile a new facility opened Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Atlas Organics has secured new capital endowment for acquisitions in several statesexpanded into the Pacific Northwest while introducing unprecedented robotic sorting technology Saint Anthony.

Smaller municipal composting operators have also seen exciting growth that could bring them into the mid-size operator category: Compost Colorado builds a new facility near Denver and Compost Crew in the Washington DC area raised over $5.5 million in Series A funds.

Humble pilots are often a sign of greater variety

While these programs often start out small—only accepting materials for drop-off rather than collecting from curbside residents—this is usually the beginning of a predictable pattern toward size.

Pilot donation programs often become permanent programs run by a community, often paving the way for a small, voluntary curbside collection service offered by local composting companies. As these companies grow, they may begin to work directly with communities through public-private partnerships.

Municipal food waste recycling programs typically follow a pattern as they scale, beginning as give-away programs that often evolve into curbside services provided by municipalities and supported by foodware and/or labeling laws.

Approved by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition

Participation of local residents in early, voluntary compost drop-off and privately operated curbside collection programs are strong data points and may ultimately tip the scales in favor of cities and counties that offer their own municipal curbside organic matter collection services on a par with their recycling programs.

It is important that businesses consider their role in diverting food waste.

The year 2022 has continued to demonstrate the increasing implementation of the necessary programs and facilities that enable food manufacturing, retail, venues and restaurants to manage their food waste more responsibly. Diverting food waste from landfill is perhaps one of the easiest ways for a company to reduce its downstream emissions that have not been addressed before.

Any business that produces, sells, or serves food should review the programs and facilities that may be available and strongly advocate for those programs if they do not already exist. Once businesses have found a food waste recycling service, on-site food waste collection best practices are also beneficial. For example, compostable packaging show an increase in some cases the amount of food waste that businesses can collect and to reduce contamination of organic products.

Food waste recycling is one of the most promising and powerful tools in our shared climate action toolbox, and 2022 has shown that it continues to gain well-deserved traction. We can expect 2023 to bring more news on this trend as waste disposal companies and municipalities work together to provide solutions for recycling critical food waste.

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