With food waste in landfills being the third-largest contributor to methane emissions in the United States, companies and government officials are working to divert food waste in an effort to cut greenhouse gases.
To date, there are currently 52 bills in 18 states that refer to the management of food waste. Tennessee and Washington have launched food waste task forces. Maryland has enacted a law that “requires food facilities producing more than 2 tons of food waste a week to separate it from other waste and divert it from landfills by Jan. 1, 2023.” New Jersey has a similar law.