Food that goes to waste in landfills breaks down and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. But surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses can be redirected to people in need before it ever reaches the landfill, reducing climate pollution while also addressing food insecurity.
Since 2022, the City of San Diego has required businesses that generate significant amounts of food waste to participate in food recovery programs, and participation has grown steadily since then. This indicator tracks the annual millions of pounds of surplus food collected and redirected to food recovery organizations rather than sent to landfill.