Challenge for Less Food Scraps

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(Image from Portland Government)

Food is necessary to live but we waste a lot at the same time. Food waste is one of the largest portions of our garbage. In Portland, there are enough food wastes to fill 5,000 long-haul trucks every year. When sent to landfills, methane, which is a greenhouse gas that boosts climate change and is at least 24 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, is generated. 



Seeing food scraps is heartbreaking in terms of the efforts of producers, chefs, people who don’t have enough access to food, and environmental concerns. I never had a day I didn't see food waste including at a restaurant I work at. Portland is going to take one step toward an eco-friendly city.



Portland will make a change in the policy for food scraps produced from food businesses starting from 2023. Food businesses that produce over 1000 pounds of food waste or more per week will be required to compost by March 31, 2023. If businesses produce over 500 pounds of food waste or more per week, they will be required to compost by September 30, 2023. And for businesses that produce 250 pounds of food scraps or more per week, they must compost by the end of September 2024. (1000 pounds of food scraps is about one full 60 gallon)


(Image from Portland Government)

Impacted businesses are:

  • Grocery Stores, warehouse clubs, wholesalers, and specialty food stores
  • Restaurants and catering companies
  • Food and beverage manufacturers
  • Businesses with onsite cafeterias, restaurants, and/or food preparation, such as hotels, hospitals, corporate campuses, colleges and universities, nursing care facilities, and correctional facilities
  • Elementary and secondary education with cafeterias or food preparation (enforcement starts in 2024)
  • All businesses are notified of this policy change one year in advance. So, it has started! 

Portland metro and local communities have worked on reducing waste and keeping food scraps out of landfills for more than 15 years. Currently, facilities in Salem and Corvallis convert food scraps produced from restaurants, grocery stores, and other food businesses across the region to composts. 


One more change in policy will be applied from January 2025. Food businesses will not be allowed to throw large amounts of food in the garbage.


https://www.oregonmetro.gov/food-scraps-policy

https://www.portland.gov/bps/garbage-recycling/business-garbage-policies/food-scraps-requirement

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