Resources for More Information
General Information
• EPA Organic Materials web page: www.epa.gov/foodrecovery
• EPA Waste Information Where You Live: http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/organics/live.htm
• EPA and USDA, Waste Not/Want Not: A Guide for Feeding the Hungry and Reducing Solid Waste Through Food
Recovery: www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/materials/organics/pubs/wastenot.htm
• Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service: www.csrees.usda.gov/
Food Donation
• Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act: www.usda.gov/news/pubs/gleaning/appc.htm
• Food Donation: Feed People-Not Landfills: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/materials/organics/food/fd-donate.htm
Animal Feed
• USDA's list of state veterinarians: www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/downloads/vsavic.pdf
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's directory of state health departments:
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/international/relres.html
Composting
• EPA Composting Web site: www.epa.gov/composting
• U.S. Composting Council: www.compostingcouncil.org
• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Supermarket Composting Handbook:
www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/smhandbk.pdf
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
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Washington, DC 20460
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EPA530-F-12-002
February 2012
www.epa.gov/foodrecovery
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United States
Environmental Protection
Putting Surplus-food
ToXGood Use
A How-to Guide for Food Service Providers
V
Every day, food service providers, such as supermarkets, hospitals, uni-
versities, restaurants, and food preparation companies, make decisions
about what to do with surplus or leftover food. This surplus food, also
known as food scraps, food waste, or organic materials, includes all prepared
foods, produce, bakery and dairy items, and meat. There are many ways food
service providers can improve the environment and provide benefits to com-
munities by reducing, reusing, and recycling uneaten or unused food rather
than throwing it away. This guide helps food service providers start a food
waste reduction and recovery program at their facilities.
To Recover or Not to Recover: Why Do It?
Separating and managing your excess food can result in both economic and
environmental benefits.
Economics: It Pays to Reduce and
Recover Food Resouces
Reducing and recovering excess food
may save you money by:
• Decreasing disposal fees. Food
banks and Tenderers often provide
free pick-ups for excess food, and
composting fees can be less than
landfill/incineration tipping fees.
• Decreasing sewer treatment and
electricity costs since food waste is
not going down the drain.
• Decreasing purchasing costs be-
cause you are only buying what is
needed.
• Increasing tax deductions for food
donations to charities.
• Increasing revenue from selling
compost made from food scraps.
Environment: Saving Resources
And Reducing Waste
Putting surplus food to good use
benefits the environment by:
• Creating a nutrient-rich soil amend-
ment when composted, which
improves overall soil health.
• Eliminating potential dumpster
issues such as odors, pests, and
fires.
• Conserving landfill space and de-
creasing methane and other green-
house gas emissions from landfills.
• Decreasing the volume of waste
managed at incinerators, which
reduces air emissions and the vol-
ume of incinerator ash that needs
to be landfilled.
Source
Reduction
1 ' ' ..i ,,
"Te
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Shopping for Change
The Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection and the Mas-
sachusetts Food Association partnered
to increase organics recycling at
supermarkets in their state. These two
organizations established a voluntary
supermarket recycling certification
program to promote recycling and re-
using food waste and other materials.
Participating supermarkets save money
and receive both positive recognition
and waste load inspection regulatory
relief. In August 2005, 62 supermar-
kets, nine haulers, and six composting
facilities achieved a 60 to 75 percent
recycling rate of food scraps and other
organics. The supermarkets reportedly
saved $3,000 to $20,000 annually per
store by simply diverting organics!
A Lesson in Successful
Partnerships
The San Francisco Recycling Program
(SFRP) used stakeholder involvement
to create a successful composting pro-
gram at local schools. SFRP and Sunset
Scavenger, a division of Norcal Waste
Systems, met with interested teachers,
principals, subcontractors, and custo-
dial staff to discuss roles and respon-
sibilities during the different steps in
the composting process. Stakeholder
meetings allowed SFRP to identify and
solve potential problems and foster a
sense of responsibility needed to sus-
tain its programs. SFRP's stakeholder
involvement also led to student and
parent interest in food waste recovery.
In 2000, the four public elementary
schools and one private high school
participating in the program diverted
nearly 200 pounds of food scraps daily.
The City of San Francisco uses its suc-
cessful partnership approach to expand
its food diversion program to haulers,
composting facilities, dairy farmers, lo-
cal colleges, and other organizations.
Reducing and Recovering Surplus Food
Surplus food can be beneficially used in a variety of ways. The food recovery hierarchy prioritizes
methods of reducing food waste.
Source Reduction — Reduce the volume of food waste
generated
Feed Hungry People — Donate extra food to food
banks, soup kitchens, and shelters A
Assess your
food waste: Take
a quick look at the
food you are throw-
ing away and identify
potential food recovery
opportunities to decrease
the amount you generate.
Conduct a food waste audit: For
more detailed information, track
and collect data on the types and
amounts of each food waste item
you are generating. Collecting these
data will help you determine if some
of your food waste can be reduced by
ordering or producing less, how much could
be sent to food banks or shelters, and how
much could be recycled through animal feeding,
rendering, or composting.
Plan for costs: There are costs related to collect-
ing, transporting, and composting food scraps. Talk
to neighboring organizations about also instituting food
waste collection at their facilities to create a cost-effective
route for your hauler. You also might be able to generate
revenue by selling compost created from your food waste.
Start the program: Talk to national waste organizations, haul-
ers, town planners, recycling coordinators, and even the mayor or
town manager to get support and assistance for your food recovery
program. Employee training is also vital to the success of a food waste
recovery program. You might want to consider an incentive program for
employee participation.
Decide what food recovery option works best for you: Use the information gath-
ered from your waste assessment and audit to decide which food recovery option
is best for your organization. The quality of your surplus food and your estimated
generation rate will help you consider how to divert your food waste. To learn about
waste disposal options and find haulers in your area, visit your state or county environ-
mental department's Web site. You can also ask your current recycling or waste hauler
about hauling your food waste to a recovery facility.
For information on working with local waste management companies to improve your recy-
cling rates and cost savings, visit http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/organics/food/
tools/.
to animal feed
rendering and fuel conversion; and food
scraps for digestion to recover energy
Composting —Create a nutri-
ent-rich soil amendment
Landfill/Incineration —
Last resort for
disposal
Source
Reduction:
Use your waste
audit to identify
ways to decrease
the amount of food
waste you generate.
Are there any trends in
the types and amounts of
food waste you produce?
If so, consider changing your
business operation to buy only
what you use.
Feed People: You can donate unsold or
excess food products that meet quality
and safety standards to food banks. Many
national and local food recovery programs
offer free pickups and containers. The Bill Em-
erson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (Public
Law 104-210) protects food donators from legal
liability. The text for this act is available through the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's website at:
www.usda.gov/news/pubs/gleaning/appc.htm.
Feed Animals: Determine if local farmers or zoos use food
scraps as animal feed. There are laws and regulations pro-
tecting animals from contracting diseases through consumption
of food scraps. Contact your county agricultural extension office,
your state veterinarian, or your county health department to find
out about specific state regulations and contact information for li-
censed farmers. You also might find companies that convert food scraps
into animal food products.
Industrial Uses/Rendering: Fat, oil, and grease can be rendered into a raw mate-
rial to make biodiesel, soaps and cosmetics. Anaerobic digestion of food scraps and
waste oils produces biogas that can generate heat and electricity, fiber that can be
used as a nutrient-rich soil conditioner, and liquor that can be used for fertilizer.
Composting: Food scraps can be composted. Ask the composting facility you plan to
use for a list of acceptable materials and hauling options. Another option is to compost
on site. Before beginning such an operation, be sure you have adequate space, staff, end
users, and support and cooperation from business or residential neighbors. Contact your
local or state environmental agency to find out more about composting options in your area
and more information on special issues that apply. Learn more about the science and tech-
nology of composting—including various methods—at http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/
rrr/composting/science. htm.
Food for Thought
Coca-Cola sends leftover food
from its cafeteria and banquets to
Atlanta's Table, a local branch of
Foodchain (a network of pre-
pared and perishable food rescue
programs).
Stonyfield Farm Yogurt donates
leftover yogurt to local hog farms.
The University of Vermont com-
posts 115 tons of its dining hall
food waste per year for an an-
nual savings of nearly $11,000 in
avoided landfill tipping fees.
Hungry for the Basic Facts
Almost half the food in the United
States goes to waste.
:J Food is now the #1 material sent
to landfills and incinerators each
year.
| Food waste makes up almost 14
percent of all the municipal solid
waste generated in the United
States.
Less than 3 percent of food waste
is recovered.
Food waste losses account for up
to $100 billion per year; $30-
40 billion occurring within the
commercial or retail sector (e.g.,
restaurants, convenience stores)
and $20 billion from farming and
food processing.
To learn more about food waste,
visit www.epa.gov/foodrecovery
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