The Washington Department of Ecology recently published several reports on food waste prevention and how businesses manage organic waste in the state. SCS Engineers is republishing these reports as resources for other states looking to understand how we can work together and reach the goals of putting edible food on people’s plates and slowing climate change by recycling food and yard waste.
In this blog/article, we provide the name of the report or study with a brief description and a link to the resources. We hope this information is helpful for local and state efforts to divert, recycle, and reuse the largest component of U.S. waste, organic material. Each report has a summary below; the links will take you to the full version.
Food Donation Workgroup Report
A workgroup looked at ways to improve donating edible food from restaurants, grocery stores, food processors, and food distributors. With members from many industries, the workgroup made nine recommendations with key strategies discussed in the report. These recommendations include pilot projects and grant programs, more transportation and cold storage, and improved data. Read the food donation report.
Compost Market Study
The Compost Market Study forecasts volumes of incoming feedstocks and finished compost based on the organics management laws taking effect and population growth. With more residents and businesses using curbside service to send their food and yard waste to a compost facility, more finished compost will be available for sale. This report estimates volumes of incoming organic feedstocks and finished compost through 2035 at the state and county levels. Local governments and compost facilities can use this report to plan for opportunities in the coming years. Read the compost market study.
Business Organics Management Research Report
Interviews with restaurant associations, owners, and staff lead to findings about how the Business Organics Management Area (BOMA), a designated geographic area in Washington state where businesses have a legal requirement to manage their organic waste, impacts them. The report recommends short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to help businesses comply with the law and manage their food and yard waste in a way other than putting it in the trash. These technical assistance recommendations are practical and action-based, making them more valuable for Ecology and its many partners who work directly with businesses. Read the business organics report.
Organics Rulemaking Updates
The solid waste handling standards (chapter 173-350 WAC) in Washington are being updated to improve how organic materials are collected and processed. Public sessions and comment periods are in place, and we direct you to the proposed new language here as supplementary material.
Zero-waste Principles of Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling
Recycling includes collecting used, reused, or unused items that would otherwise be considered waste; sorting and processing the recyclable products into raw materials; and remanufacturing the recycled raw materials into new products. Consumers provide an important key to successful recycling by purchasing products made from recycled content.
States and localities realize that “recycling” also includes repurposing edible food to food banks, composting food scraps, yard trimmings, and other organic materials, upscaling, and reuse. [Link]
Besides the social benefits, USEPA outlines the many business and environmental benefits of recycling, including:
Additional Resources:
The Food DROP and RecycleSmart case studies in this EM article illustrate the successful collaboration between local governments and stakeholders in food recovery. In both cases, local government staff invested time to understand the barriers and benefits of different aspects of recovery. The resulting recovery programs provide local benefits by supporting the community and the collective benefit of reducing the amount of food waste sent to landfills in California.
As environmental professionals, we believe that positions us as key collaborators for these recovery programs across the country, whether helping businesses overcome the barriers and participate in food donation programs or to support the capacity expansion of recovery organizations and services. We encourage you to learn more about the food recovery organizations and services in your community and start a conversation about how to best support their work.
Start by reading the article, Collaboration Is the Key to Successful Edible Food Recovery, for advice from these SCS Engineers environmental professionals.
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