This bill sets goals for the reduction of the disposal of food scraps and for food rescue, which is collecting edible food that would otherwise become solid waste and distributing the food to a hunger relief organization, food bank or pantry or other recipient to be used for human consumption. The bill sets priorities for the management of food scraps, with reduction at the point of generation being the first priority, then diversion for food consumption by humans, then diversion for agricultural use, including for consumption by animals, then subjecting the food scraps to composting or anaerobic digestion with subsequent soil application and finally subjecting the food scraps to anaerobic digestion not followed by soil application. Requirements are placed on producers of food scraps to separate the food scraps from other solid waste at the point of generation, with these requirements phased in over a 5-year period, beginning with the larger producers of food scraps. Commercial entities engaged in the transportation of municipal solid waste are required to collect food scraps from customers except for customers in municipalities with solid waste management ordinances that cover the collection of food scraps and that are consistent with the State's food recovery policy. The bill requires clearly marked food scraps containers to be placed next to any solid waste containers provided in public buildings and on public land.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1009, HP 645: 38.2101, 38.2122, 38.2124, 38.2132