Food Waste Prevention and Recovery

Resolution
Strategic Goal 8: Nurture and Promote a Healthy, Sustainable

Community

Chronology

July 26, 2016

Aug. 9, 2016

Public Comment: EP
FOOD representatives
came forward
regarding a city led
food waste initiative

Follow up meeting was

hosted by
Representative
Svarzbein and Rep.
Tolbert.

Aug. 23, 2016

September was
announced as Hunger
Action Month

What were asking for

today
1. That all relevant City Departments participate in
the reestablishment of a Regional Food Policy
Council that improves access to healthy, local and
affordable food, while reducing food waste.
2. That 2017 be declared the Year of Food Waste
Prevention and Recovery in El Paso, Texas
3. That the City develop a realistic food waste
reduction strategy by 2018

Food Waste is an issue

Food leftovers are the single-largest component
of the waste stream by weight in the United
States.
Americans throw away more than 25% of the
food they prepare.
About 96 billion pounds of food are wasted each
year. The nation spends an additional one billion
dollars annually to dispose of food waste.
In 2007, almost 12.5% of the total municipal
solid waste (MSW) generated in American
households was food scraps and less than 3% was
recovered. The rest was thrown away and
disposed in landfills or combusted in
incinerators. (Sustainable Cities Institute)

Food Waste is an issue

Some local stats
According to the 1998-1999 Municipal Solid
Waste Characterization Study, Department of
Solid Waste Management, City of El Paso:
Food makes up 6.57% of the residential solid
waste stream
Food makes up 11.1% of the non-residential
solid waste stream

Environmental Impacts
The decomposition of food and other waste
under anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions in
landfills produces methane, a greenhouse
gas (GHG) that is 21 times more potent than
carbon dioxide.
Landfills are the largest human-related source
of methane in the United States, accounting for
34% of all methane emissions.
Recovery (i.e. food donations) and recycling
(i.e., composting) diverts organic materials
from landfills and incinerators, thereby
reducing GHG emissions from landfills and
waste combustion.
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Social Impacts
A lack of access to fresh, healthy foods can
contribute to poor diets and higher levels of
obesity and other diet-related diseases.
Residents of El Paso face health risks of
obesity (24%) and diabetes (12%)*
30% of El Paso County Residents live in food
desertsdouble the state level and triple the
national.*
The Food Insecure Report released by USDA
in 2011 indicates that El Paso County has
over 177,000 people who are food insecure
and 85,000 of them are children.*
* 2013 Community Health Assessment, El Paso Department of Public Health

Social Impacts
Volunteering enhances the social connections
between different sectors, builds bridges
between governments, enterprises and
employees*
Volunteering builds more cohesive, safer,
stronger communities. *
Volunteering encourages civic engagement and
active citizenship*
Volunteers engaging in public service helps
raise educational performance, increasing
environmental awareness .*
* 2011 Social Impact of Volunteerism Report, Points of Light Institute
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Economic Impacts
Demand for local foods can enhance market
availability for local farmers, potentially increasing
financial viability.*
Consumer demand for food that is locally
produced, marketed, and consumed is increasing;
Industry data indicates that local food sales totaled
at least $12 billion in 2014 and estimate that the
market value could hit $20 billion by 2019.*
Over the past seven years, USDA has strengthened
local and regional food systems by investing in
projects that recruit and train farmers, expand
economic opportunities for small businesses and
increase access to healthy foods.*
* USDA statistic

Economic Impacts
The opportunity presented by new consumer
demand and the infrastructure required to meet
that demand translates into new farm jobs
managing, producing, processing and marketing
food.
In addition to creating new jobs in food
production, a strong local food system drives
growth in related businesses: equipment
manufacturers, processors, cold storage facilities,
food hubs, transportation networks and retailers.
* USDA statistic

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Strategic Alignment
100 Resilient Cities Initiative
Establish a framework for a sustainable and
reliable food system for the 21st century
southwestern city supportive of a thriving
natural environment and a vibrant regional
agricultural economy.
HEAL Strategic Plan
Goal 1: Increase fruit & vegetable
consumption and improve portion control

Image source: Dave Davis Vista del Valle Community Garden

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Strategic Alignment
Plan El Paso
Goal 9.2: Create a food system in which City
residents can meet their proper nutritional
needs.
Goal 10.11: Assure adequate solid waste
disposal capacity to serve El Pasos present
and future needs and continue to increase
recycling, reuse, and reduction as a way to
reduce the generation of solid waste.
Goal 10.16: Reduce Food Miles or the
distance that food must travel to El Paso, and
the associated pollution and fuel
consumption associated with long-distance
food transport.
Image source: Dave Davis Vista del Valle Community Garden

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Part 1: Re-activate Regional Food

Policy Council
Bring together key stakeholders to build a
comprehensive and cohesive food system strategy
for El Paso
Build support for City programs such as:
Farm to Work Pilot
Community Garden Public Partner Program
Eat Well El Paso
Build support for partner programs such as:
Healthy Food Access Summit
Cultivate Forum
Create frameworks for future initiatives such as:
Urban Agriculture Policy
Image source: Dave Davis Vista del Valle Community Garden

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Part 2: Food Waste Recovery

Identify opportunities for reducing food waste
outlining a city wide gleaning program
Activate volunteer network to transport recovered
food to local organizations in need
Develop realistic food waste reduction strategy by
2018
Source Reduction - first reduce the production of excess
food items
Feed People - use excess food to first feed people in need
Feed Animals - then use the excess as livestock feed,
where appropriate
Industrial Uses - then use excess food material for fuel, raw
materials, and other industrial uses
Composting - lastly, keep unused excess food out
of landfills through composting efforts

Gleaning is the act

of collecting excess
fresh foods from
farms, gardens,
farmers markets,
grocers, restaurants,
state/county fairs,
or any other sources
in order to provide it
to those in need.
(Lets Glean!,
United We Serve
Toolkit, USDA
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Gleaning Pilot Program

Results:
Week One Results: Recovered over 460lbs of produce
Week Two Results: Recovered 187 lbs of produce
Week Three Results: Recovered 275 lbs of produce
Week Four Results: Recovered 100 lbs of produce
Total Recovered: 1,217 lbs
All produce was distributed to the
Houchen Center, The Rescue Mission,
and The Annunciation House

Image source: EP F.O.O.D.

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Collaborative Efforts
Internal Partners
Office of Resilience + Sustainability

Role
Organize strategy and coordinate
stakeholder groups, report on progress
Economic + International Development Agri-business development
Department
Environmental Services
Food waste reduction, extend landfill
life
Museums and Cultural Affairs
Celebrate local food culture
Department of Public Health
Ensure all residents have food access,
increase education about healthy
eating

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Collaborative Efforts
External Partners
Institute for Healthy Living

Role
Community Lead for Regional Food
Policy Council, research and subject
matter expertise

EP FOOD
El Paso True Food
La Semilla

Volunteer Coordination and Outreach

Local Food Production and Distribution
Agricultural / Garden Education

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Thank You!

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