OPINION

On April 16, 2024, the State of New Jersey Clean Air Council took up the important and timely topic of “Reducing the Impact of Food Waste on Air Quality and Climate Change.”  While it may not be obvious at first glance, the science on the connection between food waste and climate change is clear.  The decomposition of organic matter, or food waste, in landfills creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas whose warming effect is more than 80 times powerful as the same amount of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reports that food waste is the single most common material sent to landfills, making up approximately 22 percent of New Jersey’s solid waste.  That equates to a staggering 325 pounds of food for each New Jersey resident.

An alternative to sending food waste to landfills and incinerators is to compost it into a beneficial soil amendment product.  Composting, which may occur on a small-scale level with a backyard composting pile or at the commercial level with state-of-the-art facilities, has other benefits besides reducing methane emissions and providing a valuable product that cycles nutrients back into the soil.  Diverting food waste to composting facilities can save space in landfills, extending their lifespan, and reduce our contributions to waste incinerators, which are often located in overburdened communities.

In 2020, New Jersey has attempted to encourage more food waste composting by requiring large food waste generators, such as industrial food processors, supermarkets, restaurants or medical facilities, to recycle their food waste at an authorized food waste recycling facility within 25 road miles.  Unfortunately, there are only two authorized food waste recycling facilities in New Jersey, neither of which produces compost as an end product, and there is one commercial scale composting facility that is pending approval by the state.  This is no where near the scale needed to capture all the food waste generated in New Jersey.

The cost of not having a robust food waste recycling or composting program in New Jersey is that it hinders our ability to reach our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, limits local government’s ability to meet increased resident demand for more sustainable ways to handle waste, and does not support our agricultural community by providing a valuable soil amendment for their crops.  And, unlike some other actions needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the development of compost facilities can take place in the short-term to achieve immediate results and jump-start an in-state circular economy that reduces waste and pollution, develops high value products and restores our ecosystem.

As a leader in environmental and climate change action, New Jersey must do more to move forward with policies, rules and investments to support companies, local governments, non-profit organizations and community-based groups that want to develop food waste composting facilities.

Here are some of ideas that the New Jersey Clean Air Council should consider as it reviews how to reduce food waste and control emissions from food disposal:

• Eliminate uncertainty in the marketplace through the consistent treatment and application of laws and regulations during the county review process for the siting of compost facilities through the development of guidelines.
• Update the permitting process to include a tiered permit structure that is based on the modern science of composting. Rules regarding composting have not been updated for nearly forty years and New Jersey is falling behind other states.
• Increase public education on the importance of reducing food waste, as well as the benefits of diverting what is left from landfills or waste incinerators.
• Ensure parity for food waste composting facilities with facilities that use food waste to produce biogas in terms of state rules, policies, climate goals and investment.

As New Jersey moves forward with important clean energy projects, increasing electric vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure, and building decarbonization, it should not leave behind one of the easiest and immediate ways to achieve our climate goals – composting.

Christina PioCosta-Lahue is the founder and President of Vivaria Ecologics. Throughout her career, she has worked in food and agriculture systems in a range of contexts – from agribusiness multinationals to government projects with smallholder farmers – and geographies – from Latin America to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, she has held roles in the US and abroad in the education sector, government advisory work and real estate and urban planning. Christina holds a Master in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BA in Growth and Structure of Cities from Haverford College.