The New Jersey Senate Environment and Energy Committee meeting on April 23, 2025, featured a significant discussion on food waste management, led by Gary Sondemeyer from the Association of New Jersey Recyclers (ANJAR). Sondemeyer emphasized the urgent need for an integrated solid waste management plan in the state, particularly focusing on the challenges surrounding food waste recycling.

Sondemeyer highlighted that food waste constitutes 20 to 25 percent of what remains in municipal garbage despite 38 years of mandatory recycling efforts. He pointed out that the lack of facilities to process food waste has been a major barrier to effective recycling in this area. In response to this issue, he noted the passage of the Food Waste Recycling Act in 2020, which aims to improve food waste management in New Jersey.

A key development shared during the meeting was the construction of the largest anaerobic digestion facility for food waste in the United States, located in Linden, New Jersey. This facility, being developed by South Jersey Industries and RNG Energy, will have a capacity of 1,540 tons per day, significantly increasing the state's ability to process food waste. Sondemeyer invited committee members to visit the site, which is expected to begin operations by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

Additionally, Sondemeyer mentioned another project by Bioenergy DevCo, which is working on a 500-ton per day facility in Mantua Township, further contributing to the state's food waste processing capabilities. He expressed optimism that these projects could potentially triple New Jersey's high-tech capacity to handle food waste in the coming years.

The discussions underscored the state's commitment to enhancing its recycling infrastructure and addressing the pressing issue of food waste, particularly as Earth Week serves as a reminder of environmental responsibilities.