Food Waste Recycling Math: Calculating Anticipated Tonnages & Processing Capacity
Food Waste Recycling Math: Calculating Anticipated Tonnages & Processing Capacity
States and local agencies have enacted or are considering food waste disposal bans or mandates. Two key questions that need to be answered prior to taking this step are:
- How much food waste are we talking about?
- Is there adequate processing capacity at our state’s or region’s composting and anaerobic digestion facilities?
Having this data helps calculate a realistic assessment of how a ban or mandate can be adopted and implemented successfully.
Food Waste Recycling Math guides you through how to answer these questions, starting with a food waste tonnage estimation methodology that is adapted to locally available source data — and data gaps. The methodology incorporates data to utilize in regional solid waste system forecasting, and transfer infrastructure needs.
Next, Food Waste Recycling Math discusses how to calculate processing infrastructure capacity at permitted facilities, and compare that to how much of that capacity is being used to process the current quantities of food waste being diverted. Processing infrastructure assessments in two states are guiding next steps to increase compliance with their ban or mandate, and determine what types of technical and/or financial assistance may be beneficial.
Speakers
Jennifer Erickson
Principal Planner, Metro's Resource Conservation & Recycling Division
Jennifer Erickson
Principal Planner, Metro's Resource Conservation & Recycling Division
Jennifer is a Principal Planner in Metro’s Resource Conservation & Recycling Division (RCR). She came to Metro in 1990 and has worked in the RCR group since 1993.
Among other waste reduction planning and coordination tasks, Jennifer’s work is primarily focused on helping the Portland metropolitan region build a sustainable food system including waste prevention, recovering good food for donation, and collaboratively developing policies and programs to collect and process what’s left. She has managed a wide range of projects from food waste composting contracts to creating grant programs. Currently she is managing a project to implement a required business food waste separation policy that affects businesses in the region as well as a long-term regional food waste management framework.
Jennifer has a Bachelors degree in History and English from the University of Oregon and a Masters in Public Administration and Natural Resource Policy from Portland State University.
John Fischer
Branch Chief, Commercial Waste Reduction and Waste Planning, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
John Fischer
Branch Chief, Commercial Waste Reduction and Waste Planning, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
John Fischer is Branch Chief for Commercial Waste Reduction and Waste Planning at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). In this position, he coordinates MassDEP’s programs to advance waste reduction, recycling, and composting by businesses and institutions in Massachusetts. John also oversees development and implementation of Massachusetts’ Solid Waste Master Plan, solid waste and recycling data, the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and disaster debris planning.
Tim Hall
CalRecycle
Tim Hall
CalRecycle
Tim serves as a technical expert on climate change issues and fulfills the lead coordination role in activities related to CalRecycle’s climate change and greenhouse gas reduction initiatives. He currently manages two contracts to collect data and information required to help analyze the progress that the waste sector, state government, and local governments have made in achieving the organic waste reduction goals established by SB 1383.
Nora Goldstein
BioCycle, Moderator
Nora Goldstein
BioCycle, Moderator
Nora Goldstein is Editor of BioCycle, the Organics Recycling Authority, published by The JG Press, Inc. in Emmaus, PA (www.biocycle.net). BioCycle is in its 59th year of publishing. Nora has authored numerous articles on all facets of zero waste, food recovery and recycling, composting and anaerobic digestion. Additional responsibilities at BioCycle include BioCycle Conferences, BioCycle National Surveys, and BioCycle’s FindAComposter.com. She is a recipient of the US Composting Council’s Hi Kellogg Award for Outstanding Service to the Composting Industry, and the American Biogas Council’s Biogas Visionary Award. Nora serves as a Board Member Emeritus of the American Biogas Council.