As of July 1st (five days before the writing of this article), a new law is in effect in Vermont. The law, called the Food Scrap Ban, makes composting mandatory for all residents of the state.
Even before the law, around 72% of Vermonters regularly composted their food waste, a whopping 44% above the national average.However, even given that extraordinarily high number, officials report that around 20% of all material in Vermont landfills is food waste. Just as a reminder about why that’s a bad thing, food waste in landfills emits methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Plus, compost is beneficial to farms: compost is often more effective than chemical fertilizers because of the nutrients it provides and some of the natural pesticides it provides.
The Food Scrap Ban makes it illegal to throw any food waste in the trash. If this sounds authoritarian, keep in mind Vermont’s extensive compost-related infrastructure. For almost all towns in Vermont, there is a compost drop-off site within less than 10 miles. The government also offers pick-up services, much like trash or recycling pick-up, that make it even easier for residents to dispose of their food waste.
Many question how the law will be enforced: officials can’t exactly root through every resident’s trash to ensure that no one is throwing out food waste. It also doesn’t make logistical sense to ensure that all compost actually is food waste and that no trash accidentally found its way in. This limitation means that farmers may not be able to use compost as a fertilizer, taking away one of its chief uses. However, the law is still a step forward and can serve as a model for other states hoping to decrease their carbon footprints.
Sources:
https://www.uvm.edu/cals/news/banning-food-waste-lessons-rural-america
https://www.fastcompany.com/90523234/vermont-just-banned-food-waste-in-trash-heres-how-it-works
https://dec.vermont.gov/waste-management/solid/materials-mgmt/organic-materials
https://www.addisoncountyrecycles.org/food-scraps/composting/101/why-compost
