Reducing Food Waste and Supporting Food Recovery in Michigan

The Challenge

Michigan disposes of 1.5 to 2 million tons of food waste through its municipal and commercial waste stream each year, the single largest source of material disposed of in the state’s landfills and waste-to-energy facilities. Food waste is responsible for an estimated 11.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (MmtCO2e) and $11.9 billion in lost revenue in the state. Nationally, it is estimated that as much as 30 to 40 percent of food purchased is wasted. 

The Michigan Good Food Charter includes a commitment to "Invest in and support food recovery and food waste reduction practices throughout the value chain and among consumers" as one of its recommended actions. This aligns with state, federal and global commitments to reduce food waste by 50 percent. The Michigan Food Waste Roadmap outlined a strategy to reduce food waste in Michigan through a set of recommendations primarily focused on waste prevention and recovery for food businesses. 

Our recommendations are comprehensive, but narrowly focused, and without a platform for implementation. Through this discussion, we hope to refine our interests and develop an actionable plan to advance necessary policy improvements.

The Impact

Michigan must act with a sense of urgency to leverage opportunities created by federal funding to address climate change and the state’s new materials management planning mandates. Decisions are being made at this time which could impact its ability to fully invest in food loss and waste reduction, which is paramount to a robust emissions reduction strategy. With federal Inflation Reduction Act funding and MI Healthy Climate Plan leadership seeding climate planning and associated actions throughout the state, and the new Part 115 planning process mandating and funding parallel efforts to improve local and regional materials management across the state, there is an unprecedented opportunity for communities to advance food loss and waste reduction. 

There is a strong business case for food waste prevention, and the private sector will invest in recommended solutions if given adequate technical support, resources, an encouraging and supportive regulatory environment, and as necessary, capital for investment. Reducing food loss is an economic opportunity for Michigan’s farms and food manufacturers. Reducing food loss and waste is an opportunity to reduce negative environmental impacts throughout the food system.

Achieving this goal will require some combination of substantial investments from the public sector in infrastructure and education, regulatory changes to support food donation and organics management, potential new tax incentives, and possibly an out-right ban on the disposal of food from landfills.

As a result of participating in this roundtable participants will:

• Have a detailed understanding of the breadth and depth of food loss and waste reduction in Michigan

• Be prepared to participate in climate and materials management planning opportunities in support of organics recycling infrastructure

• Have an understanding of policy opportunities to improve the supply for donated product in the charitable food system

• Support the development of a policy platform to reduce food loss and waste in Michigan.