The Food Recovery Act of 2017 - Summer

Team Members: Jiahao Liang, Tamar Aharoni, Hansen Xu, Ashley Stein, Rosario Giufré, Raphaëlle Ortiz, Zachary Rosenblatt, Runhua Huang, Aurora Barone, Yuxiang Gao, Hong Hong, Yutian Luo

Food waste represents a major environmental and economic challenge in the United States, with approximately 40% of food going uneaten and becoming the largest contributor to municipal landfill waste. The disposal of food waste generates methane emissions, contributes to climate change, and wastes the water, energy, and land used in food production. The Food Recovery Act of 2017 seeks to reduce food waste across the entire supply chain, including farms, retailers, institutions, and consumers, through expanded infrastructure, research, and policy coordination. Strategies include improving food storage and transportation, standardizing date labeling, expanding composting, and supporting technologies such as anaerobic digesters to convert organic waste into usable energy.

Environmental analysis shows that reducing food waste provides significant climate mitigation benefits while improving resource efficiency and food system resilience. Expanding composting and digestion infrastructure can reduce methane emissions while producing renewable energy and soil amendments. Standardized labeling and improved storage reduce premature food disposal and increase donation of edible food. Policy success depends on coordinated investment, infrastructure development, and behavioral changes throughout the supply chain. By addressing waste at multiple stages, the legislation supports emissions reductions, improves environmental sustainability, and strengthens food system efficiency while providing economic and environmental benefits.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.