Vermont A Model for States Looking to Address Food Waste

In an effort to divert 50 percent of all waste from landfills to facilities where it can be composted, recycled, or reused, the State of Vermont has implemented a statewide ban on food waste, known as the Food Scrap Ban, in July. Vermont is the first state to implement a ban on food waste to individuals.

Research shows that food waste is a significant source of methane gas and affects the warming the atmosphere.

Vermont residents are now required to compost food such as vegetables peels, egg shells and pits, either in their yard or through a professional compost facility. Prior to the ban, 72 percent of residents were composting at home or fed their food scraps to livestock, according (University of Vermont).

The state invested in a robust composting infrastructure, which includes new equipment, expanded curbside pick-up or drop-off services and build anaerobic digesters to turn the compost into energy. 

Read the original article here.