Speaking Volumes: Digging Deep at COMPOST 2025Speaking Volumes: Digging Deep at COMPOST 2025
Arizona leads the nation in food waste, discarding $9.5 billion worth of food annually. This week, Waste360 is in Phoenix for COMPOST 2025, highlighting the city's efforts to combat food waste and work toward its zero-waste goals.

As the sun peeks over the mountains, Arizonans begin their day, shuffling into the kitchen to start their morning coffee. They open the fridge, greeted by last week's takeout—still uneaten and destined for the trash. A cluster of bananas sits neglected on the counter, their peels blackened and disintegrating.
Many residents might not know that Arizona leads the nation in food waste by volume, wasting $9.5 billion of food each year, according to waste not.
This week, Waste360 has joined waste management professionals in Phoenix to tackle food waste at COMPOST 2025.
The city has taken the reins, battling food waste and insecurity for nearly a decade, beginning with PlanPHX to promote the growth of local food systems. The city has also made progress on its 2050 sustainability goals, which are detailed in today's feature by Arlene Karidis.
"Our current focus is on our 2030 goal of achieving 50 percent waste diversion from landfill and ultimately moving the needle toward achieving zero waste (90%+ diversion) by 2050. Today we are hovering at 36 to 37 percent diversion," comments Amanda Jordan, circular economy project manager, at Phoenix Public Works Department.As we spend the week in Phoenix, Waste360 will bring you exclusive coverage from experts and industry leaders who are spearheading innovative solutions to divert food waste from landfills in Arizona and beyond.
Stay tuned for insights, strategies, and success stories that address the food waste crisis and the complexities of building a sustainable composting infrastructure. We look forward to seeing you!
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