Three federal agencies are working together to help reduce food waste and increase composting. But their plans don't include key environmental and public health protections.
“It’s critical that the U.S. develops strong composting programs. Keeping food and other organic waste out of landfills and incinerators and using them to make clean, carbon-capturing fertilizers is one of our best options for slowing and reversing climate damage. But we can’t make the same mistakes we made with traditional recycling. We need these agencies to crack down on dirty practices that undermine the benefits of composting and create more pollution.”
Kirstie Pecci, Executive Director, Just Zero
"Every day we hear new stories about the devastating impacts PFAS contamination has on our environment and our health. We can’t continue to ignore the dangers of mixing toxic sludge with food waste and calling it composting. Land applying this toxic material exacerbates the PFAS crisis. Our federal agencies need to commit to only supporting, funding, and developing clean compost systems."
Kirstie Pecci, Executive Director, Just Zero
