Dive Brief:

• Tacoma, WA is launching a food waste program for businesses, starting in May, that is expected to be cheaper than to have it collected as garbage.
• The city has operated an organics composting program for the last four years; 65 food and floral related businesses participated.
• The food waste recycling program is one way the city is looking to meet waste reduction goals created as part of the county’s solid waste plan. Tacoma is looking to divert 70% of its waste by 2028.

Dive Insight:

During the first year the pilot program was implemented, Tacoma collected 720 tons of food scraps, for an average of 60 tons per month. A study conducted in 2009 determined that one quarter of the commercial trash was organic waste.