Stephanie Barger, Executive Director U.S. Zero Waste Business Council

Reduce Reuse Recycle = Zero Waste GOING BEYOND RECYCLING

Provide Incentives Before Ban or Mandate Eliminate Waste by Designing Out of Products and Processes Foster Sustainable and Green Businesses Retailers Take Back Difficult to Recycle Materials Resource Recovery Park Producer Responsibility Expand City Outreach & Technical Assistance and Lead by Example Jobs from Design & Discards © Copyright Eco-Cycle, 2004 with text modifications by permission. Empowered Consumer The Zero Waste Economy Designing a Full-Cycle system – Upstream and Downstream

US EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy Source ReductionSource Reduction – Reduce the amount of food waste being generated; Feed PeopleFeed People – Donate excess food to food banks, soup kitchens and shelters; Feed AnimalsFeed Animals – Provide food scraps to farmers; Industrial UsesIndustrial Uses – Provide fats for rendering; oil for fuel; food discards for animal feed production; or anaerobic digestion combined with soil amendment production or composting of the residuals CompostingComposting – Recycle food scraps into a nutrient rich soil amendment

SOURCE REDUCTION Buying Locally vs. Buying Organic Inventory Control –Over buying Food packaging Reuse of fresh produce in soups, casseroles, pizza

Feed Hungry People The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act October 1, 1996: to encourage the donation of food and grocery products to non-profit charitable organizations for distribution to needy people. In the United States alone, we waste about five million tons of food just between Thanksgiving and New Year's- that's enough to fill 125, wheelers, which would stretch from Chicago to Seattle.

Feed Hungry People HEALTH CARE AGENCY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Donated Food – Related Legal References Food Facility Donations -Any FOOD FACILITY may donate FOOD to a FOOD BANK or to another NONPROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION for distribution to PERSONs free of charge Criminal liability -No FOOD FACILITY that donates FOOD as permitted by Section shall be subject to civil or criminal liability or penalty Immunity Nonprofit Charitable Organization (definition)

Is it possible?

One Size doesn’t fit all but there is one size for everyone Vermicomposting Partnering with local farmers Anaerobic Digestion Dehydration Haulers partnering with composting facilities On-site tumblers and composting

Number of Composting Facilities Growing Athens Services, La Puente (serves greater L.A.) Community Recycling, Sun Valley CA and NV) Inland Empire Regional Compost Facility Miramar Landfill, San Diego Taormina Disposal/Anaheim Disposal Tierra Verde EcoCentre, El Toro Marine Base, OC OC LANDFILL ?????

Act now for Food Scrap policies 10,000 tons of SW = Landfill - 1 job Composting – 4 jobs Recycling – 10 jobs Reuse – 75 –250 jobs Source: Compassionate consumption Supporting local farmers and businesses Returning needed nutrients to our soil Saving water Creating Jobs Eliminating Green House gases

2 nd Annual National Zero Waste Business Conference May 8 th and 9 th – Cincinnati, OH Stephanie Barger, Executive Director U.S. Zero Waste Business Council