Top: Pile turning at LA Compost hub. Image courtesy LA Compost

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 scraps collection and composting locations at Farmers Markets, parks, and other locations.  In partnership with LA Compost, a local nonprofit community composter that starts and manages composting hubs in LA, the grant will fund collection at 20 farmers markets across the City. Food scraps collected at the farmers markets will be composted at up to six local parks. “The City is making it easier than before to help keep food waste out of landfills,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a press announcement. “Angelenos can drop off their food scraps at their local farmers markets which will then be composted and used at local community parks. We thank the White House for this funding which helps more Angelenos embrace composting and builds toward a greener city that is confronting the climate crisis with all available tools.”