On October 1, Austin, Texas, rolled out the final phase of its Universal Recycling Ordinance, which mandates that food-permitted businesses donate or compost leftover food.

The guidelines are part of Austin’s plan to reduce 90 percent of trash sent to landfill by 2040. In addition, in June, Austin expanded its Curbside Composting Collection Program to facilitate a more sustainable method of organic waste disposal, allowing more than 90,000 households to compost food scraps, yard trimmings and soiled paper. The city said it plans to extend the service to all curbside customers by 2020.

Newsweek has more details:

Texas's capital city is now prohibiting "all food-permitted businesses" from throwing away unconsumed products and scraps.

Austin "is committed to helping companies, large and small, find cost-effective solutions and establish diversion programs to ensure food and other organics are put to best use while meeting ordinance requirements," interim director of Austin Resource Recovery Sam Angoori said in a statement.

The city's Universal Recycling Ordinance, which mandates "food-permitted businesses" donate or compost leftover food, took effect on October 1.

Read the full article here.