Food and Organics Waste

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The largest component taking up space in US landfills is food waste, which decomposes and emits greenhouse gases. The EPA estimates that each year, U.S. food loss and waste embodies 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (million MTCO2e) GHG emissions (excluding landfill emissions) – equal to the annual CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants.

By reducing food waste and recycling organic materials, we are actively contributing to our climate action goals by helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat climate change, and build a more sustainable future for Rochester.

What is Organics Recycling?

Organics is a general term that refers to food waste (food scraps, inedible items like eggshells, fruit/vegetable peels, coffee grounds and more) and yard waste (leaves, grass/plant clippings, and more).

• Organics recycling is the process of turning organics into compost that can be added to soil to nourish plants and create a healthy garden.
• Compost is created by mixing different types of food and yard waste, which are categorized as greens (fruit/veg scraps, etc.) and browns (dead leaves, twigs, etc.) and water in the right proportion. Browns provide nitrogen, greens provide carbon, and water provides moisture, and over time, at the right temperature, they help to break down organic matter to create compost — a dark, nutrient-rich organic material that is added to soil.  

What are the benefits of organics recycling?

• Compost produced from the organics recycling program is a useful end-product that can improve the quality of soil on city and residential properties and promote the expansion of flower and vegetable gardens that will benefit the community as well as wildlife.
• Adding compost to soil reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, which can be expensive and can pollute our water bodies or harm wildlife.
• By collecting and composting organics, the City can divert more waste from landfills, reducing its landfill disposal costs.

City of Rochester Initiatives

Aligning with the goals of the City’s Climate Action Plan and the New York State Climate Smart Communities program, the City has a number of organics initiatives listed below to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat climate change, and build a more sustainable future for Rochester.

Organics Management Plan

The City of Rochester is currently developing an Organics Management Plan. The Plan will identify Goals and Strategies to decrease the amount of organic material that ends up in landfills. This includes building on existing initiatives, as well as exploring new opportunities.

This project is being funded in part by The Climate Smart Community Grant Program, Title 15 of the Environmental Protection Fund through the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

If you would like to give your thoughts and comments about organics management in Rochester, take this quick survey here. You can also meet with us to learn more and provide your thoughts at the following library locations:

For additional questions, reach out to Scott Thompson at Scott.Thompson@cityofrochester.gov.

ROC City Compost Program

This program is open to all city residential households to collect food waste and other compostable materials. New registrants are provided a kit, which includes a compost guide and a 5-gallon bucket to bring to drop-off locations in the city. The organic waste is transported to a third party composting facility. The program provides a finished compost giveback to registrants. The program has over 2,000 registrants and has collected over 300 tons of food scraps since the program started in 2021. Click here to sign up and learn more!

Food Waste Education & Outreach Program

This program raises awareness about preventing food waste and promoting food donation to help citizens get the most benefit from their money spent on food and to ensure that those who can’t afford to buy healthy food have access to food donations. Click here to learn more!

Additional Initiatives from the Office of Energy and Sustainability

Our efforts to reduce food waste are part of Rochester's broader sustainability strategy, including renewable energy adoption, green infrastructure projects, and waste diversion programs. Together, these initiatives are building a climate-resilient community. Learn more about these additional initiatives below.

• Energy Smart Rochester
• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
• 1655 Lexington Ave Solar PPA project
• Rochester Community Power
• Sustainable Practices for Building Owners and Occupants (PDF)

Contact

For more information, please reach out to Shalini Beath, Energy & Sustainability Manager, at shalini.beath@cityofrochester.gov.