Food discards: what are they and where do they come from?

Food discards (füd dis-kärds): food preparation wastes and uneaten food from households,

commercial establishments, institutions, and industries.1

Major generators: restaurants, supermarkets, produce stands, school cafeterias, hospitals, food

processors, farmers, hotels, prisons, employee lunch rooms, and community events.

Examples: leftovers, outdated bread, wilted lettuce, surplus canned goods, vegetable peels,

and fruit pits.

Why recover food discards?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, if 5% of consumer,

retail, and food service food discards from 1995 were recovered, savings from landfill costs

alone would be about $50 million dollars annually.2 Recovering 5% of losses from these three

sources “would represent the equivalent of a day’s food for each of 4 million people.”3 Food

discards comprise 6.7% by weight of the total U.S. municipal solid waste stream. In 1995, 14,000,000

tons of food discards were generated. Of this, only 4.1%, 600,000 tons, was diverted, or recovered,

from the traditional disposal destinations of landfills and incinerators.4

Almost any business can successfully create fewer discards by buying less, and can divert

food discards from landfills. Businesses with record-setting food diversion programs are

recovering 50 to 100% of their food discards and reducing their overall solid waste by 33 to 85%.

Often, recovery of food and other organics is just one part of a successful overall waste reduction

program that realizes both environmental and economic benefits. Your program can allow you

to:

■ Avoid trash collection and disposal fees;

■ Provide food to the needy;

■ Recover the nutrient value of the food as compost or animal food;

■ Help your community meet local and state waste reduction goals;

■ Sustain local industries and jobs; and 

■ Create an improved public image for your business.

Don’t Throw 

Away That Food 

Strategies for Record-Setting 

Waste Reduction

United States

Environmental Protection

Agency

Solid Waste and

Emergency Response

(5306W)

EPA-530-F-98-023

September 1998

www.epa.gov/osw

The Waste Reduction Record-Setters Project fosters

development of exceptional waste reduction programs by

documenting successful ones. These programs can be used as models for

others implementing their own programs to reduce garbage. This fact sheet packet is

oriented toward commercial and institutional food discard generators, and highlights

record-setting food recovery programs.
Y

our choice of recovery methods will

depend on many factors. These

include the quantity and type of food

discards, availability of space for on-site

recovery, existence of haulers and/or

end users for off-site recovery, and

program costs. Food discard recovery

methods include making donations,

processing into animal feed, rendering,

and composting. Off-site methods

involve food discard generators, haulers,

and end users.

Food Donations

Non-perishable and unspoiled

perishable food can be donated to local

food banks, soup kitchens, and shelters.

Local and national programs frequently

offer free pick-up and provide reusable

containers to donors. To encourage

food donations, all 50 states and the

District of Columbia have enacted

“Good Samaritan” laws that protect

from liability those donors who take

adequate measures to prevent food

spoilage or contamination.

Animal Feed

Recovering food discards as animal

feed is not new. In many areas hog

farmers have traditionally relied on food

discards to sustain their livestock.

Farmers may provide storage containers

and free or low-cost pick-up service.

Coffee grounds and foods with high salt

content are not usually accepted, as

they can be harmful to livestock.

At least one company is

using technology to

convert food discards into

a high-quality, dry,

pelletized animal feed.

Food discards are also

used to make pet food.

Rendering

Liquid fats and solid meat products

can be used as raw materials in the

rendering industry, which converts

them into animal food, cosmetics, soap,

and other products. Many companies

will provide storage barrels and free

pick-up service.

Composting

Composting can be done both onand off-site. Available land space as

well as haulers and end users in your

area will help you decide which is

better for you. If you compost on-site,

you will need to consider

carbon/nitrogen ratios. Food scraps

provide most of the nitrogen, while

bulking agents such as newspaper,

cardboard, and wood chips provide

carbon. The moisture and carbon

content of your food discards will

determine how much bulking agent

you should add. Temperature and

aeration are other important factors

that will determine how long it takes

materials to compost. Composting can

take many forms:

■ Unaerated Static Pile Composting:

Organic discards are piled and mixed

with a bulking material. This method is

best suited for small operations; it

cannot accommodate meat or grease.

■ Aerated Windrow/Pile Composting:

Organics are formed into rows or long

piles and aerated either passively or

mechanically. This method can

accommodate large quantities of

organics. It cannot accommodate large

amounts of meat or grease without

frequent turning and careful

temperature and moisture control.

■ In-vessel Composting: Composting

vessels are enclosed, temperature and

moisture controlled systems. They

come in a variety of sizes, and have

some type of mechanical mixing or

aerating system. In-vessel composting

can process larger quantities in a

relatively small area more quickly than

windrow composting and can

accommodate animal

products.

■ Vermicomposting: Worms

(usually red worms) break down organic

materials into a high-value compost

(worm castings). This method is faster

than windrow or in-vessel composting

and produces high-quality compost.

Animal products or grease cannot be

composted using this method.

Recovery Options
Record-Setting

Program

Del Mar Fairgrounds,

California

Fletcher Allen Health

Care,Vermont

Frost Valley YMCA,

New York

Green Workplace

Program, Government

of Ontario

Larry’s Markets,

Washington

Middlebury College,

Vermont

New York State

Department of

Correctional Facilities

San Francisco Produce

Recycling Program,

California

Shop Rite

Supermarkets, New

Jersey

University of

Massachusetts,

Amherst**

Model Programs — Diversion Strategies and Rates 

Diversion Strategies

Off-site composting;

on-site vermicomposting;

rendering

Off-site composting;

rendering; donations

On-site composting

Off-site composting;

on-site composting

Off-site composting;

rendering; donations

On-site composting

On-site composting at 30

facilities; off-site

composting at 17 facilities

Donations; animal feed;

off-site composting

Off-site composting;

rendering

On-site composting

Materials Collected

Discards from fair food vendors, paper

plates, cups, napkins, towels; vegetable

and fruit scraps and other discards

from on-site kitchen; cooking oil

Kitchen food prep discards, leftovers

from steam tables; grease; edible

produce

All pre- and post-consumer food

scraps and leftovers

Pre- and post-consumer discards from

27 government restaurants and

cafeterias

Produce and floral trimmings and

spoils, waxed cardboard; meat and fish

trimmings; canned goods

Kitchen food prep discards and postconsumer leftovers from cafeterias and

snack bars, waxed corrugated

cardboard

Kitchen food prep discards, postconsumer leftovers including chicken

bones; some sites accept paper towels

and mixed cardboard

Edible, non-salable produce; inedible

produce; spoiled produce and

trimmings

Floral and produce trimmings and

spoils, out-of-date bakery items, old

seafood, soiled paper products, food

spills, out-of-date dairy and deli

products, waxed corrugated cardboard;

meat products

Kitchen food prep scraps, preconsumer leftovers, post-consumer

discards

Food Discards

and Other

Organics 

Recovered 

(tons per year)

51 (1996)

90 (1997)

80 (1997)

1,650 (FY96)

870 (1995, est.)

288 (1996) 

6,200 (FY97)

1,500 (June 1996

- August 1997) 

3,000 (1997)

250 

(September 1996

– August 1997)

% Estimated

Food Discards

and Other

Organics 

Recovered

75%

90%, preconsumer

100%

70%

90%

75%

90%

Greater than

50% from

participating

businesses

80%

50%

% Total Waste

Stream

Recovered*

85%

33%

53%

60-80%

64%

64%

80%

NA

90%

48%

* Reflects the total waste reduction achieved from comprehensive waste reduction efforts. As such, these recovery rates reflect reductions from all types of waste

and are not limited to organics recovery.

** No case study on this program is available at this time.
Q How can I create a record-setting

program?

A There is more than one way to

create and measure a successful

food recovery program. Successful

programs usually have two defining

qualities: they greatly reduce the amount

of food discards sent to the landfill or

incinerator, and they save money in

comparison to other disposal methods.

Furthermore, most model programs are

part of a more comprehensive waste

reduction program.

Doing a basic waste audit before

beginning your program will help you

gain an understanding of what is in

your waste stream. This baseline

information also serves as a marker for

measuring diversion rate

and change in spending.

Depending on the

composition of your waste

stream, the best method of

food discard recovery may be a

combination of methods.

Involving employees in the

beginning and continuation of your

program, and training everybody well in

how and why to participate have also

proven to be key elements in a

successful program. As more people

are trained and interested in a program,

and feel ownership of it, the more likely

they will be to collect food discards

with little contamination at a high

recovery rate. This will ensure you have

a high-quality, high-value product.

Adding food discard recovery

responsibilities to employee job

descriptions will help show that you are

serious about creating a strong

program.

Q Will beginning a food

composting program cost much?

A Start-up costs are typically low. For

example, Shop Rite Supermarkets

in New Jersey had only to pay for the

rental of extra dumpsters and for the

additional organics pick-up. If you

choose to compost on-site with special

equipment, costs can be 

higher. Your current equipment, plans

for your composting program, and

available space will all determine your

start-up costs.

Q How can I run a cost-effective

program?

A How cost effective your program is

mainly depends on the difference

between your current hauling and

tipping costs and those of the program

you decide to implement. For

composting, fees are usually significantly

less than trash fees. You may also be

able to sell finished compost. Food

banks and renderers usually provide free

pick-up, allowing programs to avoid

100% of their trash costs.

Q If I collect organics for

composting or animal feed, am I

destined to live with vectors and foul

odors?

A No. Most businesses that collect

kitchen and table scraps avoid

these problems by keeping organics in

covered containers. Many refrigerate

containers until pick-up. A Waste

Specialist at Fletcher Allen Health Care,

where containers are picked up daily,

says that they avoid vector and odor

problems by keeping their containers

clean and their organics “moving.”

Q Are composting and providing

animal feed viable options for

urban businesses?

A Yes. Commercial composting

facilities in or near cities will take

your food discards. Farmers are close

enough to many urban areas that they

will pick up from your business.

Wholesalers and retailers throughout

San Francisco participate in a food

discard recovery program which

includes providing food for cattle.

Running A Food Recovery Program

Some Questions and Answers
Record-Setters Reap Benefits

þ Avoid trash collection and 

disposal fees

Through composting, Shop

Rite supermarkets in New Jersey

avoid an average of $90 per ton in

landfill tip fees and spend an

average of $33 per ton to tip

compostables off-site. This

represents a savings of $57 

per ton.

With high recovery rates, you

can have your trash dumpsters

picked up less frequently, or use

smaller dumpsters for the same

pick-up frequency.

þ Provide food to the needy

The San Francisco Food Bank

collects over 37 tons of edible

food a month from wholesalers

and distributes it to local service

agencies.

þ Recover the nutrient value of

the food as compost 

or animal food

At New York Department of

Correctional Services facilities,

compost made from landscape

trimmings and cafeteria food

scraps adds rich organic matter to

farms and horticulture projects.

“Closing the loop” can also save

money by giving you access to

cheap soil amendment or

wholesale organic produce.

þ Help your community meet 

local and state waste 

reduction goals

In 1996 the Del Mar

Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California,

diverted 85% of its waste stream,

including more than 38 tons of

food discards. This helped the

town of Del Mar meet diversion

goals set by the 1989 California

Waste Management Law.

þ Sustain local industries and jobs

Food discard generators

typically do not need to hire

anybody new to run food

recovery programs. However, by

recovering food discards for end

users, they can help sustain local

industries and jobs. Composting

facilities, for example, employ four

times more people on a per-ton

basis than landfills.5

The Intervale Foundation, a

non-profit organization in

Vermont, employs five people full

time at its composting site in

Burlington.

þ Create an improved public

image for your business

Customers at Larry’s Markets

in Washington are proud to shop

at a store with a strong

composting program.

Notes

1 Adapted from the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Measuring Recycling: A Guide for

State and Local Governments, 1997,

page 11.

2 Kantor L.S., Lipton K., Manchester A.,

and Oliveira V., Estimating and

Addressing America’s Food Losses.

USDA, 1997, page 8: Advance release

of same article in FoodReview, Vol. 20,

No. 1, Jan.-Apr., 1997.

3 Kantor L.S., Lipton K., Manchester A.,

and Oliveira V., 1997, page 4.

4 U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, Characterization of Municipal

Solid Waste in the United States, 1996

Update, 1997, pp. 5-6. 5 “Jobs Sustained per 100,000 TPY

Handled at Various Operations,”

Institute for Local Self-Reliance,

Washington, D.C., 1997.
Tips from 

Record-Setters

■ Consult with your local and state

recycling coordinators.

These solid waste planners may

help locate a market for food discards

or provide technical advice.

Some agencies award grant

money for innovative projects.

If no end users exist locally, request

that local agencies such as the

department of solid waste or economic

development help develop some.

■ Network with other business

members to learn about their experiences

with food recovery programs.

■ Research the haulers and end users

in your area.

■ Anticipate barriers to a successful

program and how you will overcome

them. Learn from others. Ask

employees what potential problems

they see. They, after all, will be

responsible for running the program.

■ Train food service workers well, and

well ahead of program implementation.

■ Monitor and periodically re-evaluate

your program.

■ Use composting diversion to reduce

your waste hauling and tipping costs.

■ Be creative.

Tips for Solid Waste

Planners

■ Provide information on:

local food discard end users 

and haulers;

local businesses/institutions

recovering food discards; and

legislation/regulations.

■ Lead by example—institute a food

discard recovery program in your office.

■ Designate a staff person to

encourage organics diversion in the area.

■ Sponsor tours or demonstrations of

successful programs.

■ Fund a pilot program.

■ Develop a local composting facility

or other end user, if none exists.

■ Work with local haulers and composters to provide pick-up service for food

discards—maybe include food discard

pick-ups along with regular trash pick-ups.

Food Recovery Tips

The Waste Reduction

Record-Setters Project

was developed under a

U.S. EPA grant by the

Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR).For

more information on the project,

contact ILSR, 2425 18th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20009, phone (202)

232-4108, fax (202) 332-0463, web site

(www.ilsr.org).This publication replaces

EPA-530-f-98-002, dated January, 1998.

þ General Resources

– State composting councils and environmental or agriculture

agencies can provide information on composting

– State veterinarians can provide information on diversion to animal feed

– Local Chambers of Commerce can provide information on area rendering

companies

– Local charities, social service agencies, and local chapters of national charities

can provide information on food donation 

– Yellow Pages or Internet headings such as composting, rendering, recycling,

and waste reduction facilities

þ Specific Resources

– BioCycle: Journal of Composting & Recycling published by JG Press, Inc. (610)

967-4135

– Other EPA fact sheets:

Managing Food Scraps as Animal Feed

Donating Surplus Food to the Needy

Waste Reduction Tips for Hotels and Gaming Establishments in Indian Country

Reducing Food Waste in Indian Country

Doing What it Takes to be Waste Wi$e: Food Manufacturing/Processing

Industry

Available by calling the RCRA Hotline: 1-800-424-9346 or 1-800-553-7672

for the hearing impaired.

– Compost: Because a Rind is a Terrible Thing to Waste by Jean Bonhotal and

Karen Rollo. Available from: Cornell University Media Services Resource

Center/ 7 Business & Technology Park/ Ithaca, NY 14850, 607-255-2080, FAX

607-255-9946, e-mail: Dist_Center@cce.cornell.edu

– A Guide to Commercial Food Composting by Composting Council Research and

Education Foundation, 4424 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 102, Bethesda, MD

20814, 301-913-2885

– A Citizen’s Guide to Food Recovery by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1996.

Available from the USDA Food Recovery Hotline and National Hunger

Clearinghouse by calling 1-800-GLEAN-IT

Resources