Officials, Stores Try To Eliminate Food Waste

COLUMBUS, Ohio —Every year, Americans generate nearly two tons of food waste—per person.

But the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and some grocery stores are trying to recycle some of those leftovers.

Major retailers, grocery stores, cities and the EPA are learning how to recycle scraps from the grocery store and homes by composting, NBC 4‘s Marshall McPeek reported.

“We found out that some of that waste can be up to 70 percent in a grocery store with most of that waste coming from the produce department, specifically,“ said Tonya Woodruff, of the Ohio Grocer’s Association.

One grocery chain’s pilot program kept more than 650 tons of food waste out of the landfills in just four months.

“There’s conserving landfill space. There’s renewable energy. There’s reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Nutrient-rich soil amendment that comes from the compost and even renewable energy,“ said Joe Goicochea, of the Ohio EPA.

The businesses said that composting creates a positive image with customers and all they have to do is a little separating in the store.

“Anything that’s not glass, plastic or metal can actually be composted. So, it’s just putting that in a different container and sorting it differently. It’s just a training issue,“ Woodruff said.

Proponents said a composting program can be cost effective or at least cost neutral because tipping fees for compostable items tend to be cheaper.

“It’s always great if it can reduce costs. But in the end, if it’s neutral and even if it costs money, if you’re doing the right thing, that’s better than the wrong,“ said John Krygier, of Ohio Wesleyan University.

The composted material can be used for landscaping or gardening instead of buying new top soil.

Last year, there were three composting facilities in Ohio. Now there are 14 composting businesses.

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