Food waste legislation inches along

Amended Compost Bill Headed to Full Senate Vote

By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI News staff

PROVIDENCE — A bill banning food waste from the landfill is on its way to the Senate floor. After two changes to the Recycling of Organic Materials bill, the Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources voted unanimously May 28 to send the legislation to the full Senate. A vote is expected next week.

The bill requires large restaurants, hotels and schools to divert food scrap to a compost facility or food digester starting in 2015. There are several stipulations, however. A compost/digester facility must be within 15 miles of the food producer and willing to accept food scrap. Food producers may also apply for a waiver if the cost to haul the scrap is more than sending it to the Central Landfill in Johnston.

The 15-mile stipulation was one of the changes to the bill made after a May 14 hearing, during which several environmentalists complained that a 10-mile radius was too small of an area to encourage the development of new compost and anaerobic facilities.

A second amendment exempted school buildings that don't serve food, such as dormitories and administrative buildings. This stipulation was added at the request of Johnson & Wales University. The school also received approval for a third amendment that allows food producers to send food scrap to local pig farms.

After the recent vote, Rep. Art Handy, D-Cranston, said he was encouraged by the expansion of the 15-mile rule. As chairman of the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, he said he plans to hold a hearing soon for the House food recycling bills (H7482,H7033).

The latest Senate version was opposed by the Hospital Association of Rhode Island and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island. The bill has broad support from environmentalists and farmers.

Jamie Rhodes, director of Clean Water Action Rhode Island, said he supported the Senate bill. Clean Water Action has been a vocal advocate for a food recycling law, and Rhodes was active in writing one of the House bills.

Although, the Senate bill doesn’t have a phase-in schedule for small food producers and residences, he believes everyone will want to participate when they learn the cost of composting services will be less than traditional waste hauling.

“We may not have to phase it in,” Rhodes said.

Currently, Earth Care Farm in Charlestown is Rhode Island’s only large-scale compost facility to accepts food waste. The law is expected to be an incentive for new compost and digester businesses. Plans are underway for a food digester at the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, and a composting operation in the Providence area by The Compost Plant.