Food waste is a persistent problem, with over 25% of the overall food supply at the retail and consumer level going uneaten and wasted. Disposing of our organic material in landfills and incinerators contributes to climate change. Whether landfilled or burned, the waste generates methane and carbon dioxide. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is 86 times more potent in causing the climate to warm than carbon dioxide, and landfills contribute 17% of Maryland’s methane. Landfill emissions are expected to more than double from our 2011 levels by 2020, according to the 2019 update to the Greenhouse Gas Reductions Act Draft Plan.
Diversion out of Landfills and Incinerators
Fortunately, this problem has a solution. Large generators of food waste, like prisons, hospitals, grocery stores, and cafeterias, produce most of the organic waste in the state – facilities that generate over 1 ton of food waste a week contribute over half of Maryland’s organic waste. These facilities will have a drastic impact on lowering our carbon emissions when they source-separating their food residuals and divert them out of landfills and incinerators. By pursuing specific zero waste strategies: sending food residuals to a compost or anaerobic digestion facility, reducing waste, donating servable food, managing residuals in a system installed onsite, or diverting food waste for agricultural purposes, this organic waste will sequester carbon or be repurposed for beneficial use.
Expanding On-Farm Compost
Currently, farmers may compost manure and on-site generated materials using up to 40,000 square feet, but once they accept food scraps they are restricted to 5,000 square feet. With Delegate Shetty, Senator Gallion, and other allies we are working to expand on-farm compost to let farmers accept more food scraps. This helps divert food waste out of landfills and incinerators and also gives farmers access to the correct balance of "browns and greens" to create high quality compost that they can use.
Funding School Diversion
In 2022 the General Assembly passed legislation to create grant programs for schools looking to reduce their food waste and compost. Unfortunately, that year the General Assembly did not allocate money towards this new program, but things look brighter in 2023!