Top: Image courtesy  Rhode Island Food Policy Council

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council’s (RIFPC) Wasted Food Solutions Action Network was created to “find and bring forward the highest priority solutions to our current system of wasted food in Rhode Island,” states RIFPC. Members of the network work across food sectors, including food waste reduction, donation, upcycling, and recycling (composting and anaerobic digestion). The Network’s first task was to create the Wasted Food Solutions Action Plan, which the Council released in June 2025. The plan addresses critical challenges in Rhode Island’s management of wasted food, proposing a sustainable framework that aligns with the state’s environmental, economic, and social priorities. Priority areas for organics recycling interventions include:

• Establish a “Compost Fund” through surcharges on waste tipping fees, and tax credits for edible surplus food donations to help finance infrastructure and education for wasted food reduction and diversion.
• Promote innovative approaches such as pay-as-you-throw systems, food scrap collection, and adjustments to municipal waste pickup schedules.
• Invest in wastewater treatment and processing equipment to retain seafood processing operations within the state.
• Expand municipal support for community composting sites and enhance public education on composting practices.
• Identify and repurpose land for composting facilities to address infrastructure deficits.