Converting food waste into useful energy

In California, one county is converting food waste into useful energy.

When food scraps break down in a traditional landfill, they release methane, a potent heat-trapping gas. So Sacramento County now requires food manufacturers, cafeterias, and other large producers to separate food waste from the rest of their trash.

The food scraps are then sent to a digester – a sealed environment where the methane can be captured as the food breaks down.

The methane is then used to create renewable electricity or fuel that can power diesel vehicles. What’s left is compost that is sold to farms.

Read the Yale Climate Connections story - “Diverting Food Wastes from Landfills to Useful Energy.”