LOS ANGELES - The City of Los Angeles’ Bureau of Sanitation secured a $400,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to increase composting practices and reduce food waste in communities across the city, with a focus on disadvantaged communities that already experience significant environmental impacts as identified by CalEnviroScreen. The federal funding will go toward operating 26 food waste reduction and composting locations at Farmers Markets, parks, and other locations.
“The City is making it easier than before to help keep food waste out of landfills. Angelenos can drop off their food scraps at their local farmers markets which will then be composted and used at local community parks,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “We thank the White House for this funding which helps more Angelenos embrace composting and build toward a greener city that is confronting the climate crisis with all available tools.”
This effort builds on years of work to keep edible food, food scraps, and other organic waste out of landfills and instead turn them into compost. In partnership with LA Compost, a local nonprofit entity that supports composting and community education, this grant funding supports food scrap collection at 20 farmers markets across the City. Food waste collected at farmers markets is then turned into compost at up to six local parks. As food scraps sent to landfill decompose and emit methane, a very potent greenhouse gas, by instead using food scraps to create a beneficial product, this initiative will help LA become more sustainable and climate resilient.
Today’s announcement comes while Mayor Bass is leading an international delegation to generate business development and learn from innovative housing, green transportation and infrastructure projects to prepare Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Under Mayor Bass, hundreds of millions of dollars were secured through locking arms with state and federal partners as Los Angeles continues to urgently lead on climate. Building on the work of former Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Eric Garcetti, Mayor Bass has been able to deliver progress toward building a greener Los Angeles.