Composting Works: Food Waste Significantly Reduced Here

Due to tighter regulations in California, the United States, there has been a decrease in food waste within the state.

There was a 10 percent decrease in food waste between 2016 and 2022 within the state of California for individuals and businesses. New regulations requires residents to sort their food scraps and other organic waste into a dedicated compost bin. Additionally, the state is expected to recover 20 percent of edible food that would otherwise end up in landfills in an effort to address food insecurity.

By 2025, the state aims to cut its overall organic waste disposal by 75 percent. Various suggestions have been proposed to reduce waste, including properly storing food, freezing excess food to extend freshness, dedicating one day per week to eating leftovers, planning meals before grocery shopping, and understanding the meaning behind best by labels. All in all, the state’s efforts to reduce food waste seem to be working, and will hopefully soon be incorporated at an even larger scale.