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In the United States, over one-third of all available food goes uneaten due to loss or waste. Every state and city contribute differently to this issue, as they each have different food waste laws and infrastructure that influence waste management efforts.
Indianapolis, unfortunately, is considered one of the most wasteful cities in the United States. One contributing factor may be that Indiana has the second-highest amount of trash deposited in its landfills per resident in America.
That said, food waste in the state of Indiana is a growing problem, with cities like Indianapolis requiring innovative waste management strategies to reduce its impact.
So, what can we do to reduce food waste in Indianapolis?
Dive into this topic with us, where we’ll discuss the initiatives and policies addressing Indianapolis food waste and explore how businesses can get involved.
Key Takeaways
- Only 7% of Indianapolis’ trash is recycled, meaning this city requires stricter food waste policies to increase its landfill diversion rate and reduce its environmental impact.
- In recent years, Indianapolis’ local government has recognized food waste as part of broader sustainability efforts, leading the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability to develop Thrive Indianapolis, the city’s first sustainability and resiliency action plan.
- To increase the community-wide waste diversion rate by 40% by 2030, Indianapolis has implemented strategies such as providing universal residential curbside recycling to all residents by 2025 and offering multi-lingual, multi-format recycling and composting educational materials at local energy resource centers and resilience hubs.
- Shapiro’s collaboration with LaPorte’s anaerobic digestion facility has been key in enhancing food waste management in Indianapolis, helping companies reduce landfill dependency, increase sustainability, and demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Understanding Food Waste in Indianapolis
While food waste statistics in Indianapolis are limited, examining the city’s recycling rate in comparison to national trends can provide insight into its broader waste challenges.
In 2021, municipal solid waste in Indiana totaled 9.4 million tons, of which 75% went to landfills, 21% was recycled, and 4% was used for waste-to-energy. While this number includes a variety of materials, food waste is a large contributor.
So how does this compare to national averages?
The national recycling and composting rate is 32.1%, meaning Indiana falls below the national average in waste diversion efforts. Even more, only 7% of Indianapolis’ trash is recycled, meaning this city requires stricter food waste policies to increase its landfill diversion rate.
For instance, stricter food recycling mandates in New York are a great example of how policies can be implemented to address food waste. However, every state and city is different, meaning what works in Los Angeles may not align with local laws in Boston and Chicago. What’s important is that each state and city understands why food waste is being generated, how to improve waste management efforts, and the importance of implementing laws that support waste diversion.
With Indiana households losing an average of $2,071 to food waste each year, reducing waste is both an environmental and economic priority.
To address this issue, Indiana set a 50% recycling goal for municipal waste and requires mandatory reporting of solid waste and recycling data to track progress. However, they do not have a set date to achieve these results, meaning businesses must hold themselves accountable to increase food recycling in Indianapolis.
Initiatives and Policies Addressing Food Waste in Indianapolis
Based on the information above, it’s clear that more advanced food waste management in Indianapolis is required to minimize landfill use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent resource depletion.
While Indiana does not have any food waste bans or waste recycling laws that bear on food waste, an increasing number of initiatives are being implemented in both the government and private sectors to address Indianapolis organic waste.
The Indiana Food Scrap Initiative is a great example of this. To reduce organic waste in Indianapolis—as well as the state of Indiana—this initiative explores the issues that cause food waste and works to divert as much food from disposal as possible.
Beyond this initiative, many efforts in this state are focused on source reduction and donations. For instance, companies like Second Helpings rescue prepared and perishable food from wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants to prevent unnecessary waste and feed those in need.
There are also government initiatives to reduce food waste, such as the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, which protects food donors from civil or criminal liability if donated food causes harm to recipients.
However, while this US food waste law helps encourage food donations, local laws are also required to reduce food waste in Indianapolis. In recent years, Indianapolis’ local government has begun to recognize and address food waste as part of broader sustainability efforts.
To support these efforts, the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability developed Thrive Indianapolis, the city’s first sustainability and resiliency action plan in history. One of the goals under this plan is to increase the community-wide waste diversion rate by 40% by 2030.
Various strategies are in place to achieve this goal, such as providing universal residential curbside recycling to all Indianapolis residents by 2025 and offering multi-lingual, multi-format recycling and composting educational materials at the local energy resource centers and resilience hubs.
By implementing initiatives that promote household food scraps recycling, the city of Indianapolis can divert food from landfills and work toward its sustainability goals. As we’ll see below, there are also various ways for businesses to improve food waste management and reduce their environmental footprint.
Emerging Food Waste Solutions for Indianapolis Businesses
Companies are big contributors to Indianapolis food waste, with restaurants, supermarkets, and manufacturers all playing a role in the ongoing crisis.
However, there are multiple challenges that companies may face when improving their waste management strategy, including inadequate infrastructure for large-scale composting or anaerobic digestion of food and organic waste.
The good news?
There are waste management companies in Indianapolis, like Shapiro, that help companies overcome these obstacles. At Shapiro, we provide sustainable solutions for businesses in Indianapolis and nearby cities, helping increase diversion from landfills while ensuring compliance.
While we offer various waste management solutions, our collaboration with LaPorte’s anaerobic digestion facility has been key in enhancing food waste management in Indianapolis.
This facility specializes in the anaerobic digestion of food waste, generating renewable natural gas that will be injected into northern Indiana’s existing pipeline system.
As the exclusive provider of feedstock to this facility, our team helps companies in Indiana reduce landfill dependency, increase sustainability, and demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Our waste management services in Indianapolis are tailored to meet the unique needs of each business, meaning we can help you implement customized recycling and composting solutions that align with your sustainability goals.
The Bottom Line
Food recycling in Indianapolis is currently in a transitional phase—while the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability has created a plan to improve sustainability, local businesses must also take the initiative to reduce waste at the source and adopt more sustainable waste management practices.
By working with a food waste company, Indianapolis businesses can streamline waste management processes, stay compliant, and access tailored solutions that meet their specific requirements.
Whether you’re interested in getting involved in the anaerobic digestion facility in LaPorte or exploring other organic waste management solutions, we’d love to help you achieve your sustainability goals.
Contact us today to learn more about our services.
Baily Ramsey, an accomplished marketing specialist, brings a unique blend of anthropological insight and marketing finesse to the digital landscape. Specializing in educational content creation, she creates content for various industries, with a particular interest in environmental initiatives.
