Related Topics

• Composting Permitting Requirements
• Composting Regulations
• Conversion Technologies
• Organics Home

Organic Materials Management

Food Scraps Management

Californians throw away nearly 6 million tons of food scraps each year. While green waste material collection programs have been implemented throughout California, increasing food scrap collection for composting would provide additional opportunities to help meet the State's diversion goals.

Food scraps can be recycled into compost*, a soil amendment rich in nutrients, used for soil restoration. Land application of composted food scraps, mimics natures quintessential recycling model where the life cycle of plants is sustained by each season's decomposed vegetation--out of decay, new plants grow.

Compost helps bring nutrients back to soil, prevents erosion and conserves water, which helps support germination of seeds and new plant growth. By composting food scraps, we affect a sustainable use of this organic matter. Considering the large amount of water and natural resources embedded in food production and delivery, the most sound, sustainable cycle for this material is to return it to the soil.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend following the food recovery hierarchy above for making the most of excess food. The food recovery hierarchy contains the following activities starting from the top: Source Reduction, Feed People, Feed Animals, Industrial Uses, Composting, Landfill/Incineration.

*Green highlighted words indicate definitions and links to the glossary.

Getting Started

Food Scrap Videos