Food Waste Bans and Targets
Organic food waste, primarily food scraps, are often thrown away and ultimately decompose in landfills, releasing methane and potentially polluting waterways. Composting is an effective method of recycling organic waste, keeping it out of landfills and allowing it to generate value, as compost can be used to sustainably fertilize crop lands.
To reduce the amount of food sent to landfills and, as a result, produce greenhouse gas emissions, states may pass food waste bans or waste recycling laws. These policies prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste from sending this waste to landfills, subject to exceptions. These typically apply to commercial businesses and larger institutions, although some apply to residential food waste as well. Setting food waste reduction targets is another policy option states can implement to ensure more food is kept out of landfills and donated or composted instead.
Key Resources
How State Organic Waste Ban Policies Can Drive Food Waste Reduction
Key Action Area: Strengthen Food Rescue
Achieving Zero Food Waste, A State Policy Toolkit: Building and Broadening Organic Waste Bans and Beyond
Bans and Beyond: Designing and Implementing Organic Waste Bans and Mandatory Organics Recycling Laws
Model Rules
Achieving Zero Food Waste, A State Policy Toolkit: Building and Broadening Organic Waste Bans and Beyond
LPDD Model Law: State Law to Divert Food Waste from Landfills
LPDD Model Law: State Legislation Supporting Sustainable Management of Food Waste
Model Compost Rule Template
Model States
California
Food waste target – 50% reduction by 2020 and 75% by 2025, relative to 2014 levels.
Food waste ban – The state requires commercial generators of organic waste to either compost or anaerobically digest organic waste.
Massachusetts
Food waste ban – The state requires businesses and institutions that generate more than 0.5 tons of food waste per week to dispose of organic material via composting or anaerobic digestion.
Vermont
Food waste ban – The state has banned the disposal of food scraps and yard waste at landfills, established separate trash collection processes for organic waste, and requires all food scraps to be diverted to certified recycling facilities, including from both residential and commercial sources.
Washington
Food waste target – 75% reduction by 2030, relative to 2015 levels.
Food Waste Bans and Targets By State
Status | State Sort descending | Region | Components | YR Enacted | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste target – 50% reduction by 2020 and 75% by 2025, relative to 2014 levels. Food waste ban – The state requires commercial generators of organic waste to either compost or anaerobically digest organic waste. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
West | 2016 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – The state requires commercial waste generators to recycle organic materials at authorized composting facilities, provided they generate at least 26 tons of food waste per year and are within 20 miles of a permitted recycling facility. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Northeast | 2021 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Northeast | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – The state requires businesses and institutions that generate at least 2 tons of food waste per week to dispose of food residuals via composting or anaerobic digestion. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Southeast | 2021 | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – The state requires businesses and institutions that generate more than 0.5 tons of food waste per week to dispose of organic material via composting or anaerobic digestion. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Northeast | 2014 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – Effective February 1, 2025, the state requires those who generate more than one ton of food waste per week are prohibited from disposing of that waste in a landfill if there is an alternative facility with capacity and authorization to manage food waste within 20 miles. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Northeast | 2023 | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – The state requires commercial waste generators to recycle organic materials at authorized food waste recycling facilities, provided they generate at least 52 tons of food waste per year and are within 25 miles of a permitted recycling facility. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Northeast | 2020 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southwest | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – The state requires food scraps generators to donate excess edible food for human consumption and shall dispose of remaining food scraps at an organic recycler, provided they generate at least 2 tons of food scraps per week and are within 25 miles of an organics recycler. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Northeast | 2019 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Northeast | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – The state requires educational entities to recycle organic waste at authorized composting or anaerobic digestion facilities, provided they generate at least 30 tons of organic waste per year and are within 15 miles of an authorized recycling facility. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Northeast | 2014 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste ban – The state has banned the disposal of food scraps and yard waste at landfills, established separate trash collection processes for organic waste, and requires all food scraps to be diverted to certified recycling facilities, including from both residential and commercial sources. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
Northeast | 2012 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste target – 75% reduction by 2030, relative to 2015 levels. Establishing Policies
Empty column
|
West | 2022 | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Southeast | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
Midwest | |||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. Empty column
|
West |