Rethink Food Waste New York

Resilient Climate Solutions

Rethink Food Waste New York provides wasted food solutions for New York businesses, municipalities, organic recyclers, food relief organizations, and others.

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Easy, practical wasted food solutions for New York businesses.

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Resources For Sustainable Partners

Copy & paste resources to connect businesses with assistance to reduce waste, improve their bottom line, employee job satisfaction, and respond to customer demands for sustainable practices.

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Helpful New York Resources

Guidance for New York State Businesses

Waste reduction tips for NY Universities

NYS food donation and scraps recycling law

Harney & Sons’ sustainable journey

Spotlight on feeding Westchester

Blog Post: Colgate Compost Chronicles

Feeding New York State August 2023 Newsletter – CET & Feeding Westchester: A Virtuous Cycle

Action’s Compost for Good Community-Scale Composter Design Guide

NYS P2I Food Waste Diversion Program Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to receive this assistance

New York businesses (grocery stores, restaurants, event centers, etc.), colleges, universities, municipalities, organics recycling facilities (composting, anaerobic digestion, etc.), food relief organizations, and others!

How much will assistance cost my organization?

Our assistance is available at no cost to businesses, municipalities, and others in New York. This program is funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and delivered under contract by CET.

Do you provide on-site assistance?

Depending on the organization’s needs, we can provide a virtual visit, on-site visit, or assistance via phone and email. This includes businesses or institutions that are subject to New York’s Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law but also includes businesses and other entities that are not subject to the law. Contact us so we can assess your specific needs today!

How do I get started with assistance?

Contact one of our recycling experts at 866-306-0911. We’ll ask you about your organization, the food you throw away, and your food waste reduction or diversion goals or details about your organic recycling facility needs. Depending on your needs, our customer care professionals may connect you to resources immediately or schedule a site-visit with one of our Specialists whenever it is most convenient for you.

What happens during a site-visit?

During the site-visit (in-person or virtually), a Specialist will learn more about your operations and develop a list of potential solutions. For businesses, this can include a review of your current waste contract to identify potential opportunities for efficiency and cost savings. For organic recycling facilities, this could include a review of operations to determine means to improve or expand operations. After the site visit, we will conduct research on your behalf and deliver a report with customized recommendations for your organization, along with direct assistance to implement one or more of our recommendations.

Will my business get in trouble for not recycling food scraps?

No, CET is a non-regulatory entity that helps businesses and other organizations comply with New York’s mandatory Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law, improve operations, and reduce the amount of food going into the trash. We’re here to listen to your needs, answer questions, and help you achieve your goals.

What expertise do you have?

CET has over 45 years of experience helping businesses and municipalities to reduce and properly manage waste. CET has implemented business recycling programs across the Northeast, including the award-winning RecyclingWorks program in Massachusetts. CET looks forward to assisting your business in your waste reduction, recycling, and composting efforts.

Will it cost a lot of money to start a food scraps recycling or composting program at my business?

Food waste reduction activities may require a financial investment to implement, but these efforts can help organizations save money over time, improve employee job satisfaction, and respond to customer demands for sustainable practices. CET is a neutral party that can also help businesses comply with New York food waste laws.

Why is reducing food waste in New York important?

Effective January 1, 2022, New York will enforce the Food Donation and Food Scrap Recycling Law. This law requires businesses that generate at least 2 tons of food waste per week and are within 25 miles of an organics recycling facility, such as a compost site, anaerobic digester facility, or animal feed operation, to recycle organic material. There are also many benefits to reducing food waste even if not required by law. By not producing food waste in the first place, or by donating surplus food, businesses can realize cost savings.

We’re not doing a very good job recycling food scraps; will you still help us?

Our Specialists are ready to meet your organization wherever you are right now and help you take the first step in reducing your environmental impact. We strive to provide unbiased, actionable, and realistic recommendations to help your organization maintain compliance with existing food disposal laws and achieve any additional food waste diversion goals.

We’re already doing a great job recycling; why would we need help?

We can help take your organization to the next level and will recommend unique approaches to divert even more food waste from disposal. Check out our Wasted Food Solutions toolbox for resources to learn more.

We already received assistance; can you still help us?

We know that your organization’s needs will evolve over time. We always try to provide as much assistance as possible during our first visit and will continue to support your organization afterward. If we cannot conduct an additional site visit, we are always happy to provide assistance over the phone and through email.

How will you help us reduce and recycle food scraps?

We pride ourselves on being an industry leader when it comes to preventing and diverting a wide range of materials from disposal. We specialize in all forms of food recovery, from reducing food waste and donating surplus food, to recycling food scraps through animal feed, composting, and anaerobic digestion.

Call our hotline at 866-306-0911 or email RethinkFoodWasteNY@cetonline.org to learn more.

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