The New Jersey Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee convened on April 23, 2025, to discuss significant advancements and challenges in composting and food waste management across the state. The meeting highlighted local initiatives, regulatory hurdles, and the urgent need for improved infrastructure to handle food waste effectively.

A key focus of the meeting was the success of local programs in towns like Montclair and Maplewood, where initiatives such as "Skip This Stuff" have shown positive results in reducing single-use plastics and promoting composting. Local representatives praised these efforts, noting that they have fostered community engagement and environmental awareness, particularly among school children.

However, the meeting also addressed substantial barriers to expanding composting facilities in New Jersey. Christina Picasso Liu from Bivariate Ecologics emphasized the difficulties posed by the state's unique regulatory environment, particularly the requirement for food waste composting facilities to operate within enclosed structures. This rule, she argued, is not based on current compost science and significantly hampers the economic viability of composting operations. Liu noted that New Jersey is the only state with such a requirement, which has led to a stagnation in the development of necessary composting infrastructure.

Matt Wasserman from the New Jersey Composting Council echoed these concerns, highlighting that food waste sent to landfills has increased despite existing legislation aimed at reducing it. He pointed out that the state is facing a looming landfill capacity crisis, with projections indicating that 40% of existing landfill space could be depleted within the next decade. Wasserman called for legislative action to allow open composting and to support the establishment of composting infrastructure, which he believes could alleviate some of the pressure on landfills while providing economic benefits to communities.

The committee members discussed the potential for collaboration with wastewater treatment facilities to process food waste, which could serve as an additional solution to the growing waste management challenges. The meeting concluded with a consensus on the need for legislative support to enhance composting capabilities and to align New Jersey's regulations with national standards.

Overall, the discussions underscored the importance of addressing regulatory barriers and enhancing infrastructure to promote sustainable waste management practices in New Jersey. The committee plans to continue exploring these issues and engage stakeholders in future meetings.