New York environmental program now requires large business to donate unused foods as opposed to throwing them out. The program is in its second year of operation. This initiative supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency’s goal of 50% food waste reduction by 2030, which was announced in 2015. In ten states and the District of Columbia, legislation and policies to reduce, compost or donate waste have been passed. As of October, the program had redistributed approximately 5 million pounds of food that was otherwise destined for the landfill.
