New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

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 http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/41831.html New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

3. Waste Diversion Goals and GHG 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 http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/41831.html 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, http://www.epa.gov/smm/foodrecovery 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 Dairy Fats and oils o.k. in these systems 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 12233-7253 gafeinla@gw.dec.state.ny.us (518) 402-8706 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation