In Philadelphia, nearly 17% of trash sent to the landfill is wasted food. This adds up to around 116 million pounds of food waste coming from commercial properties such as restaurants and other food service establishments. 

In collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Food Matters Regional Initiative, the City developed a printable and easy-to-share guide for commercial properties about the proper management of food waste in Philadelphia, with strategies listed from most to least environmentally beneficial. Food business owners can use these alternatives to dumpster disposal to reduce the amount of wasted food created and keep waste out of the landfill.