Developing Decision-Making Tools for Food Waste Management via Spatially Explicit Integration of Experimental Hydrothermal Carbonization Data and Computational Models Using New York as a Case Study

Abstract

Food systems account for one third of all global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and food waste (FW) produces one third of landfill emissions in the U.S. To combat global warming, we must upcycle FW by developing closed-loop supply chains─key features of a circular economy─that harmonize technology and policies. New York State (NYS) recently enacted a law requiring generators of >1.8 t/week to redirect FW from landfills to processing centers within 40.2 km of the waste generation. Hydrothermal carbonization could transform FW into a coal-like solid fuel, but there is scant information on the feasibility of implementing this approach under current policy conditions. We developed a model informed by experimental results to evaluate the interplay between HTC plant location, feedstock availability, policies, and economic viability within NYS. Broadly, this is a case study of a new decision-making tool enabling policy makers and entrepreneurs alike to plan effective resource valorization.