What about food that is not suitable for human consumption? Food that cannot be donated to feed hungry people can still be rescued from the landfill. Providing animal feed, processing the food to obtain nutrient value, digesting the food to recover energy, and composting the food are some of the ways that foods can be utilized once it is no longer suitable for human consumption.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Food Recovery Hierarchy prioritizes steps that food manufacturers, businesses, organizations, and people at home can make to prevent and redirect food from the landfill.

For more information on the Food Recovery Hierarchy, visit the U.S. EPA website. For more information on rescuing food in the Quad Cities by composting, waste-to-energy, and feeding animals, please contact Julie Plummer at the Iowa Waste Exchange, Easter Iowa Community Colleges at 563-388-1453 or email: julie.plummer@wastecom.com.