About 40% of the US waste stream is comprised of wasted food. Whether it expires before you can eat it, spoils in the back of your refrigerator, or just smells a little funky and gives you pause, we all add to the wasted food stream each month.
For businesses, food waste inefficiencies can cause dramatic budgetary issues, so reducing food waste offers a strategic business advantage along with a strong environmental imperative. Aligning with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly adopted Wasted Food Scale, businesses can leverage innovative techniques to reduce, reuse, legally donate, and compost excess foods.
Strategy #1. Source Reduction & Smart Inventory Management
Source reduction is the most preferred method on the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale because it directly prevents waste generation. By optimizing inventory management, businesses can reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency.
A simple method to kick off your company’s food waste reduction journey would be to adopt a “Just in Time” ordering system where perishable goods are purchased in smaller quantities, but more frequently to prevent spoilage. Another tactic to consider is inventory tracking software to monitor stock levels and forecast food prep demands accurately.
Strategy #2. Food Donation Partnerships
Did you know? Thanks to the 1996 Emerson Good Samaritan Act, all US food-permitted businesses are legally allowed to donate excess foods to nonprofit food redistribution organizations. Donating edible food in local communities helps combat hunger and provides businesses with significant tax benefits.
The key to legal food donations is establishing partnerships with local, statewide, or national nonprofit organizations that are certified in food redistribution. Next, employees need to be trained on proper food handling to maintain safety and quality. Then, businesses should track their food donations for IRS tax deductions.
Strategy #3. Food Reuse
Upcycling food scraps helps businesses align better with the Waste Food Scale and the larger concepts of the circular economy.
A simple food reuse technique for back-of-house operations is simply placing vegetable tops, heels, and peels into a stew pot with water for a simmered savory broth. If your business has larger quantities of excess foods, partnering with an upcycling company could be a great solution. For example, many breweries arrange for the collection of spent grains to be transported to dog treat manufacturers.
Strategy 4. Animal Feed Donations
If excess foods are not safe for human consumption, but are still edible, consider repurposing food waste as animal feed. This diverts surplus foods from landfills and supports local agriculture.
Contacting local farmers and ranchers to gauge their interest in taking your company’s excess foods is a vital first step. It’s good to have agreements in place with several different farms and ranches to ensure there’s always an outlet for the food waste. Always follow the EPA and FDA guidelines to ensure food waste is safe and legally acceptable for animal consumption and keep detailed records to optimize the process and report sustainability metrics.
Strategy #5. Composting
Composting is a sustainable method to handle inedible food waste that has passed its expiration date or spoiled. Composting enriches the soil with valuable minerals and vitamins and reduces methane emissions from landfills.
The easiest way to implement a business composting program is to partner with a commercial compost hauling service. Haulers collect food waste from their clients and transport the materials back to their industrial facilities. There, they treat the materials to foster a natural biodegradation process
By implementing just a few of these innovative strategies, your business will become more closely aligned with the Wasted Food Scale to reap cost savings through operational efficiencies and potential tax credits.
Article contributed by Stacy Savage, Founder/CEO of Zero Waste Strategies
