Jersey City

Reduce Food Waste

REDUCE FOOD WASTE

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, roughly 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. ends up tossed in the garbage. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) estimates that 22% of all solid waste in New Jersey consists of food waste.

Through a partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Food Matters project, it was estimated that over 40 thousand tons of food waste is generated in Jersey City every year. Of that amount, 25 thousand tons, or 62%, of food waste comes from households and residencies.

At the same time about 42 million Americans live in food-insecure households, meaning they are struggling with hunger, without enough food to eat. Feeding America has mapped food insecure households — over 10% of our population in Hudson County were food insecure in 2018.

Read more about food waste and rescue potential in Jersey City.

Environmental Impact of Food Waste

According to the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Resources Institute, global food waste represents more greenhouse gas emissions than any country in the world except for China and the United States, accounting for 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gases annually. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are produced at every part of the food chain, from the growing to the consumption to the disposal. In the U.S., only about 10% of greenhouse gases generated from food waste come from methane released from decomposing food in landfills. The remaining 90% comes from creating synthetic fertilizer, cooling food, transporting it, and more.

Food waste has implications beyond just greenhouse gases. A 2017 NRDC report, Wasted, outlines not only the greenhouse gas emissions of this waste, but also its impact on water, cropland, landfills, and gross domestic product. For example, 21% of water used in U.S. agriculture is wasted due to uneaten food.

In March 2020 New Jersey passed Bill A-2371, requiring large food waste generators that produce an average of 52 or more tons of food waste per year to recycle food waste at an appropriate facility. If commercial and institutional entities are located within 25 miles of an authorized food waste recycling facility, they must comply with the food waste recycling mandate.

How to Reduce Your Food Waste in Jersey City

If you are looking to reduce your food waste you may want to check out the new Food Waste Website created by the NJDEP. It has resources targeted to residents, schools, restaurants, businesses and more. For additional resources, including those specific to Jersey City, please also see the links and resources below.

Save the Food is a national public service campaign to combat food waste. Go to SaveTheFood.com to find tips and ideas on how to reduce food waste through smart meal planning and proper storage. You can even find great recipes for cooking with food scraps and cooking food considered past its prime.

For more information on food storage and food safety, you can also check out the USDA Foodkeeper.

When you store food correctly in your fridge, it lasts longer and saves you money. Proper food storage can also prevent cross-contamination. And of course, you’ll be diverting food scraps from landfills!

Here are some tips to help you organize your refrigerator:

✔️ Keep the fridge temperature at 40°F and the freezer at 0°F
✔️ Upper shelves: leftovers, drinks and ready-to-eat foods like deli meats
✔️ Middle shelves: dairy products
✔️ Lower shelf: Raw meats slated for cooked dishes
✔️ Since fridge doors are frequently being opened and closed, store condiments like sauces and salad dressings in the door

Follow @jcmakeitgreen for more tips on food storage and fridge organization.

When you are preparing food, you can separate the food scraps and recycle them to create a natural and free source of fertilizer for your garden, yard, or houseplants. Vermicomposting and Bokashi also offer ways for you to recycle your food scraps. See our Composting Page for more information.

Consider donating extra food to local food pantries and kitchens that serve our residents. Those who donate “apparently wholesome” food to nonprofit organizations are protected from both civil and criminal liability through the Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.

Donate food Consider donating your extra food to or volunteering your time with the following food rescue organizations:

Table to Table – A local community-based food rescue program that collects prepared and perishable food that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to organizations serving the hungry.
Rescuing Local Cuisine – Food businesses or event hosts interested in donating leftover food in Jersey City can do so easily through the local Jersey City chapter of Rescuing Local Cuisine (RLC). Their website is also a great resource for information on food waste and food insecurity.
Saint Peter’s University Campus Kitchen – At St. Peter’s University, Campus Kitchen reclaims fresh food for distribution and uses it to prepare meals for the community.