1. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Organics Waste Diversion Panel:
Overview
September 17, 2013
SUNY Sustainability Conference
Gary Feinland

2. Beyond Waste: A Sustainable Materials Management Strategy
New York State’s Materials Management Plan
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,
Combustion, Landfill
Emphasis on reducing GHG emissions
For Beyond Waste Report go to
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

3. Waste Diversion Goals and GHG
Year
Pounds/
Person/Day
GHG Reductions
(million MTCO2E
2010
4.1
12.8
2012
3.8
14.3
2014
3.4
17.1
2016
2.9
20.5
2018
24.7
2020
1.7
29.1
2025
1.1
31.8
2030
0.6
34.6
Source: Beyond Waste, Table 4.2
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

4. “State should lead by example”
SUNY organics management programs have great examples
For Beyond Waste Report go to
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

5. Organics in the Waste Stream
Approximately 30% of New York State’s waste stream is organics.
About 18% are Food Scraps.
Data from NYSDEC’s Beyond Waste
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

6. Food Recovery Hierarchy
Source: USEPA,
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

7. Source Reduction
Conduct a waste audit to identify where and how the food waste is generated
Waste Audit Tools
Scale
Gloves
Data sheet
Bags
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

8. Possible Outcomes of Waste Audit
Identify where and how food scraps are discarded
Communicate information to purchasing staff to reduce food purchased and save money.
Potential to reduce disposal costs.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

9. Food Donation Feed Hungry People Reduce Waste Disposal
Receive Tax Incentive
(Not SUNYs or other State entities)
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

10. Liability Exemption
Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act exempts donor from liability for illness as long as the donor has not acted with negligence or intentional misconduct.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

11. Animal Feed Pre-consumer vegetative waste, bakery waste…
Need Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) from NYSDEC (unless fed to animals on site)
No meat, no plate waste in NYS, not even if it is cooked.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

12. Recycling Food Scraps and Other Organics
Most yard trimmings are composted in NYS facilities
Less than 1% of food scraps are recycled
not including in-sink disposers
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

13. Four Things Needed for Composting
Biodegradable Material
Air
Water
Microorganisms
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

14. Biodegradable Material
Greens: wet, high in nitrogen
Browns: dry, high in carbon
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

15. Small Scale Systems: Open Pile
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

16. Small Scale Systems: Home-made Bins
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

17. Small Scale Systems: Store Bought Bins
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

18. Don’t Add to Small Scale Systems
Meats
Dairy
Fats and oils
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

19. Large Scale Systems Meats o.k. in Dairy these systems Fats and oils
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

20. In-Vessel (Enclosed) Systems
Meats
Dairy
Fats and oils
o.k. in
these systems
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

21. Anaerobic Digestion Facilities
Not many accept food scraps, but some are looking into it or currently adding equipment.
More are taking food processing waste (industrial)
Compostable food serviceware is a challenge in these systems
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

22. Questions?
Gary Feinland Environmental Program Specialist Division of Materials Management Albany, New York (518)
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation