{"689029":{"#nid":"689029","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Sewage Treatment Plants Could Handle Food Waste, Sparing Landfills and the\u00a0Climate","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEvery day, food scraps disappear into trash bags, are hauled away and forgotten. But that waste could be turned into something productive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcross the United States, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rineng.2025.108822\u0022\u003Eabout 97 million metric tons of food waste\u003C\/a\u003E are discarded each year, of which about 37 million metric tons end up buried in landfills.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce underground, that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/land-research\/quantifying-methane-emissions-landfilled-food-waste\u0022\u003Eorganic material breaks down without oxygen and releases methane\u003C\/a\u003E, a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/gmi\/importance-methane\u0022\u003Eshort-lived yet powerful greenhouse gas\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, the nutrients and energy stored in that food are permanently lost. But there is a better way. Research my colleagues and I conducted found that communities across the country already operate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rineng.2025.108822\u0022\u003Efacilities designed to handle organic matter\u003C\/a\u003E: wastewater treatment plants. Many larger, well-funded plants already have the infrastructure to process food waste, though not every plant is ready to do so today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A large truck dumps trash in a massive pile.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721478\/original\/file-20260302-57-kdsgd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ELandfills are not great places to dump food.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/detail\/ClimateFoodWasteBans\/4a9aca221b9b4f4fa6ea718c191494f0\/photo\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EAP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ELandfills Are Not Designed for Food Waste\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling\/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials\u0022\u003EFood waste\u003C\/a\u003E is fundamentally different from plastics, metals or glass. It\u2019s organic and can decompose naturally. But when it\u2019s placed in a landfill, its decomposition \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/land-research\/quantifying-methane-emissions-landfilled-food-waste\u0022\u003Eemits significant greenhouse gases\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModern landfills are designed to capture the methane emitted, but even the most \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/land-research\/quantifying-methane-emissions-landfilled-food-waste\u0022\u003Eefficient systems still allow almost 58%\u003C\/a\u003E to escape into the atmosphere. That food waste could be turned into energy or fertilizer, but instead it contributes to global warming.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy contrast, wastewater treatment plants \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rineng.2025.108822\u0022\u003Eprocess sewage using microbial communities\u003C\/a\u003E that naturally break down organic matter. Many also capture \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anl.gov\/article\/tapping-the-potential-of-wastewater-for-a-sustainable-future\u0022\u003Emethane produced during treatment\u003C\/a\u003E and convert it into usable energy. Others \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/21655979.2022.2077894\u0022\u003Erecover nutrients such as phosphorus\u003C\/a\u003E that can be turned into agricultural fertilizer. Over time, many plants have evolved from simple sanitation systems into \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.psep.2025.107980\u0022\u003Eresource-recovery facilities\u003C\/a\u003E that generate power, reclaim materials and reduce environmental pollution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese existing systems already process organic matter and could handle food waste, too.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat Happens When Food Waste Goes to a Treatment Plant\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur research examined what would happen if \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rineng.2025.108822\u0022\u003Efood waste were sent to wastewater treatment plants\u003C\/a\u003E rather than landfills. We used real data from a full-scale plant that handles food waste along with sewage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen we compared greenhouse gas emissions for the same food waste composition, we found that sending food to a landfill would emit 58.2 kilograms (129 pounds) of carbon dioxide equivalent per ton of food waste.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn comparison, we looked at a conventional wastewater treatment plant, the type of plant most common in the U.S. It achieved net-negative emissions of \u20130.03 kilograms (about 1 ounce) of carbon dioxide equivalent per ton of food waste treated. The plant captures over 95% of methane, compared to roughly 50% at landfills, saving the atmosphere from additional greenhouse gases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut we found that the advanced treatment plant we studied reduced emissions further. In our analysis, the advanced facility achieved net-negative emissions of \u20130.19 kilograms (about 7 ounces) of carbon dioxide equivalent per ton of food waste treated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth conventional and advanced plants achieve these benefits in similar ways. Treating food waste at either type of plant prevents the 58.2 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per ton that would otherwise escape from landfills. The plants capture biogas to generate renewable electricity, reducing the need to purchase power from the grid. They also recover enough nutrients to fertilize about 23 acres of farmland annually, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, which require \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/climate.mit.edu\/explainers\/fertilizer-and-climate-change\u0022\u003Eenergy-intensive mining and processing\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EHow the Logistics Work\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-right zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A brown plastic bin labeled \u0026apos;food scraps, yard waste.\u0026apos;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=237\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=450\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=450\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=450\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=566\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=566\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/721492\/original\/file-20260302-63-9yd2a9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=566\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ENew York City has a large food waste collection program.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/new-york-citys-new-food-scrap-bins-support-composting-for-news-photo\/2192835316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EDeb Cohn-Orbach\/UCG\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGetting the food waste to a wastewater plant doesn\u2019t mean people put their food scraps in the drain or grind them up with an in-sink disposal. At the plant we studied, food waste was collected separately, much like recycling or yard waste, and transported by truck to treatment plants. Our emissions calculations don\u2019t include truck emissions, because trucks are used in the other methods of food waste disposal as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome cities already collect food waste by truck to go to composting facilities. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sfenvironment.org\/recycling-composting-faqs\u0022\u003ESan Francisco\u003C\/a\u003E has done so since 1996. And \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dec.ny.gov\/environmental-protection\/recycling-composting\/organic-materials-management\u0022\u003ENew York City\u003C\/a\u003E has the nation\u2019s largest curbside organics collection, which composts food waste from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nyc.gov\/assets\/dsny\/downloads\/resources\/reports\/zero-waste-plan\/zero-waste-report-2025.pdf\u0022\u003E3.4 million households\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the southeastern U.S. treatment plant we studied, trucks deliver food waste to a receiving station, where it\u2019s processed to remove plastics, metals and other nonorganic materials before being blended into a slurry with the sewage solids. This mixture is then added to anaerobic digesters \u2013 sealed tanks where microorganisms break down organic material.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe methane that is produced is captured to generate electricity and heat. The remaining \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rineng.2025.108822\u0022\u003Esolid material is rich in nutrients\u003C\/a\u003E and can be used to produce useful material, such as fertilizer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe also found that adding food waste did not overload the plant or cause problems in its operation. The facility processed all of the county\u2019s landfilled food waste \u2013 107,320 tons annually, representing 38% of the county\u2019s total food waste generation. Because of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/anaerobic-digestion\/anaerobic-digestion-facilities-processing-food-waste-us-2020-2021\u0022\u003Efood waste\u2019s lower density compared to wastewater\u003C\/a\u003E, this added only 0.43% to the plant\u2019s daily capacity. The plant consistently met effluent water regulatory standards. And at certain points, treatment efficiency improved as a result of the additional organic material, which supported the system\u2019s biological processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EThe Economics May Surprise Cities\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELocal officials, as well as taxpayers, are often worried about the potential costs of a project like this. Wastewater treatment is already expensive, and communities\u2019 existing plants may be nearing capacity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut the economic results from our analysis suggest that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rineng.2025.108822\u0022\u003Ehandling food waste in wastewater treatment plants can be financially viable\u003C\/a\u003E. Towns already pay landfills and incinerators what are called \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/692063\/cost-to-landfill-municipal-solid-waste-by-us-region\/\u0022\u003Etipping fees\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d based on the weight of the waste delivered. Wastewater treatment plants can also charge these fees.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey can also sell, or use themselves, the methane produced and sell the fertilizer. That additional income means plants can make money even if they charge lower tipping fees than landfills.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot every wastewater plant is ready to accept food waste immediately. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rineng.2025.108822\u0022\u003EThe facility we analyzed is large and well equipped\u003C\/a\u003E. Smaller operations would likely require new or upgraded equipment, which would involve planning and local investment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe overall finding of our research is that the limitation isn\u2019t technological or financial. The core systems already exist to transform food waste into a recoverable resource: Cities already handle organic material every day. And they operate complex biological treatment systems. Our evidence suggests these facilities could, in fact, handle food waste in ways that are environmentally beneficial and economically realistic.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/275529\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-sewage-treatment-plants-could-handle-food-waste-sparing-landfills-and-the-climate-275529\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvery day, food scraps disappear into trash bags, are hauled away and forgotten. But that waste could be turned into something productive.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Every day, food scraps disappear into trash bags, are hauled away and forgotten. But that waste could be turned into something productive."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-03-13 17:18:08","changed_gmt":"2026-04-06 17:35:50","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679686":{"id":"679686","type":"image","title":" Treatment plants can capture over 95% of methane from food waste, compared to about 50% at landfills. Justin Sullivan\/Getty Images","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETreatment plants can capture over 95% of methane from food waste, compared to about 50% at landfills. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/in-an-aerial-view-pools-of-water-are-visible-at-the-east-news-photo\/2099926548\u0022\u003EJustin Sullivan\/Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1773925185","gmt_created":"2026-03-19 12:59:45","changed":"1773925185","gmt_changed":"2026-03-19 12:59:45","alt":" Treatment plants can capture over 95% of methane from food waste, compared to about 50% at landfills. Justin Sullivan\/Getty Images","file":{"fid":"263876","name":"file-20260302-63-43jh51.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/19\/file-20260302-63-43jh51.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/19\/file-20260302-63-43jh51.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":680708,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/19\/file-20260302-63-43jh51.jpg?itok=NHXFlf7h"}}},"media_ids":["679686"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-sewage-treatment-plants-could-handle-food-waste-sparing-landfills-and-the-climate-275529","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/ahmed-ibrahim-yunus-2418775\u0022\u003EAhmed Ibrahim Yunus\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Engineering, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/joe-frank-bozeman-iii-1460712\u0022\u003EJoe Frank Bozeman III\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Public Policy, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}