Hailey Lee, Sampling Program Specialist at the Waste Data & Analysis Center (WDAC), was selected to present at the 12th Annual NYS Organics Summit, held April 14–16, 2026, at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown in Syracuse, New York. Representing WDAC, she delivered a presentation titled “Trends in Food Waste Composition in New York State (2021–2025): Data Results and Observations from Waste Characterization Studies.”
Her presentation highlighted a multi-year analysis of food waste generation and disposal patterns across New York State, based on waste characterization studies conducted between 2021 and 2025. The research focused on food waste and yard waste within the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream.
A central finding of the study is that food waste accounted for approximately 20–22% of the MSW stream. When combined with yard waste, which represented about 5.3%, these materials together made up roughly 27.7% of total waste. This highlights a significant opportunity for food rescue, organics diversion, and waste reduction strategies.
However, the analysis also identified challenges in material recovery. Food and organic materials were often discarded with packaging such as plastic films, containers, and coated paper products. This contamination limits the recyclability and compostability of a significant portion of the waste stream.
The presentation further examined differences between residential and commercial MSW streams. Food waste represented a higher proportion of commercial MSW, driven by food-related businesses such as restaurants and food service establishments, where surplus and operational loss were more common. In contrast, residential food waste exhibited greater variability, mirroring household consumption patterns such as leftovers, expired products, and unused ingredients.
In addition to presenting, Hailey engaged with more than 200 materials management professionals from across the state. The summit provided a valuable platform for sharing WDAC’s research and discussing emerging challenges in organics management.
Hailey’s participation reflects WDAC’s ongoing commitment to data-driven solutions for sustainable waste management and improved organics diversion in New York State.