Sustainability

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Food Waste

Food Waste

Reducing food waste can make a big difference to your budget and the planet.

According to federally funded research published in 2020, the average household wastes 31.9% of their grocery purchases.  

And if you care about climate change – reducing food waste is one of the best ways to help. Food loss and food waste account for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions– and households are the biggest producers.  Put another way, if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter behind China and the United States.

Federal Food Waste Research

Food Waste Management Options

First, practice buying less. Then, learn to preserve and eat more of the food you buy. Finally, here are some options for your food waste:

Animalia

Drop off food waste at Animalia. Animalia is a pop-up shop inside City of Industry, at the same address: 280 E 900 S Salt Lake City. They offer a food waste drop off for the public. Dump your food waste any day, anytime, in the green Momentum Recycling food waste carts in Animalia’s back parking lot.  A minimal donation to cover their service fee is encouraged.  
Backyard Composting

Learn more about how to compost your own food here.
City Composting

Did you know you can put food in your brown yard waste cart? Did you know the city makes high-grade compost out of it? Find out more here.
Momentum Recycling

Have it picked up from your curb! Momentum Recycling offers a residential and business curbside collection program that accepts all types of food waste. This includes packaged & unpackaged food; prepared food; fruit; vegetables; meat; dairy; and fats, oils & grease. 
Share Your Food

Check out Wasteless Solutions’ options for redistributing fresh, edible excess food from households and organizations.
Wasatch Resource Recovery

Wasatch Resource Recovery (WRR) is Utah’s first and only anaerobic digester dedicated to food waste diversion. This facility processes organic material– including food scraps, liquids, and manufactured food waste– and turns it into sustainable resources, namely biogas and bio-based fertilizer. WRR has a free food waste drop off site open to the public from Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday 7 AM – 3 PM at 1370 West Center St, North Salt Lake, UT.

Contact

Food Systems Outreach Coordinator

  • Leesie Clegg
  • 385-707-7582
  • [email protected]
  • Salt Lake City and County Bldg., 451 S, State Street, Suite 418
  • M-F 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Connect

Related

Community Food Assessment 2026