HB2524 Summary

• Establishes a state goal to reduce food waste by 50% annually by 2030 relative to 2015 levels, including a specific goal to reduce edible food waste.

• Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to develop and adopt a State Wasted Food Reduction and Food Waste Diversion Plan by October 1, 2024, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Public Health.

• Plan must include strategies to prevent wasted food, match surplus edible food with food banks, and support productive uses of inedible food waste through composting, anaerobic digestion, and animal feed.

• Creates the Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Litter Control Fund with expenditures allocated as: 50% for Agency litter programs, 20% for local government waste reduction programs, and 30% for Agency waste reduction and recycling efforts.

• Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to contract for an independent evaluation of the state's food waste management system to support plan development.