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The article focuses on a study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) highlighting the significant amount of paper and cardboard waste that ends up in landfills across the U.S. Topics include the economic and environmental implications of this waste disposal method, the geographical distribution of landfilled paper and cardboard waste.

A recent White Paper commissioned by the Minnesota Composting Council (MNCC) highlights concerns over the lack of standardized compost used in state projects. Issues such as inconsistent quality, immature compost, and the presence of invasive species have led to hesitation in using compost. The paper recommends establishing a compost certification program to ensure quality and suggests adopting the national definition of compost approved by the American Association of Plant Food Control Officials. The MNCC is in discussions with the MN Crop Improvement Association to move these recommendations forward. [Extracted from the article]

A peer-reviewed paper published in Nature Cities claims that urban agriculture has six times the carbon intensity of conventional agriculture. The paper is based on survey results from gardens in France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. The authors used a model called Ecoinvent to calculate emissions, but the assumptions in the model were not shared. The study found that urban farms had lower emissions than traditional agriculture within three years of establishment, while individual and collective urban gardens had higher emissions. The paper acknowledges the benefits of urban agriculture, such as better eating habits and a connection to nature and neighbors, but suggests that current practices may need improvement. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that grease-proofing materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the U.S. This decision eliminates a major source of dietary exposure to PFAS from items such as fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, take-out containers, and pet food bags. The FDA engaged with companies in 2020 to cease sales of these substances following a safety assessment, and the voluntary commitment by manufacturers to phase out the use of PFAS in paper and paperboard food packaging products was influenced by research conducted and published by FDA scientists. [Extracted from the article]

A paper published in November 2023 in Environmental Health Perspectives discusses the potential presence of contaminants in compost produced from urban food and yard waste, such as pesticides, lead dust, and PFAS. The research team conducted case studies in Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, and New York City, examining waste-to-compost activities and legislation. The authors argue that inequities in composting practices are partially due to historical marginalization and loss of land, leading to food inequality among communities of color. They recommend that cities address these inequities by providing multilingual and multimedia communication and education about composting, and by engaging with volunteer garden coordinators and community organizers to advocate for the needs of community farmers and growers. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the initiation of a pilot residential food scraps collection program by the Division of Waste Services in Nashville, Tennessee, involving 750 single-family homes since October 2023. Topics include the program's weekly collection by Compost Nashville, the inclusion of soiled paper and BPI-certified compostable products, and the motivations behind the pilot as part of Nashville's Zero Waste Master Plan to increase waste diversion and address limited landfill capacity.