The North American Renderers Association (NARA) applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for restoring rendering to the agency's Wasted Food Scale after the process was removed without explanation in 2023, ending its three-decade inclusion in EPA's food recovery hierarchy.
Rendering transforms unused portions of meat animals into ingredients for animal feed, pet food, renewable biofuels and other products. The process diverts millions of tons of organic material from landfills annually.
The restoration follows bipartisan requests from Congress and engagement by industry stakeholders. In September 2024, 28 Members of Congress led by Representatives Nick Langworthy (R-NY) and Jim Costa (D-CA) sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging the agency to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration to revise the National Strategy for Food Loss and Waste to include rendering. More than 30 organizations supported the letter, including the American Association of Meat Processors, American Farm Bureau Federation, Pet Food Institute and Clean Fuels Alliance America.
A similar bipartisan letter led by Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and signed by six other senators was sent to Administrator Regan in May 2024, raising concerns about rendering's exclusion from the Draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. In July, Representatives Langworthy and Costa sent a follow-up letter with bipartisan colleagues to EPA Administrator Zeldin noting the Wasted Food Scale excluded the largest organic recycler by volume without rendering.
"We commend the EPA for making the decision to restore rendering and thank the Members of Congress who championed this issue with us," said Kent Swisher, NARA's president and CEO. "Restoring rendering on the Wasted Food Scale ensures that federal food waste policy accurately reflects real-world practices that have been working safely and effectively for generations."
NARA said it will continue working with the EPA, USDA, FDA and congressional leaders to support implementation of food waste reduction strategies and advance policies recognizing rendering's contribution to sustainability, food security and the circular economy.
