How to Keep Food Out of Illinois’s Trash
A food scrap diversion law would help solve Illinois’s wasted food problem.
Credit: Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
Wasted food is a big problem in Illinois. In fact, food waste makes up 20 percent of the state’s landfills, where it rots and generates the potent climate pollutant methane. Much of this wasted food is wholesome and safe to eat if handled properly, and what isn’t edible is compostable—it doesn’t have to end up in the trash. A food scrap diversion law to redirect food waste away from landfills could help Illinois prevent harmful methane emissions, protect resources, and extend landfill capacity.
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