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A 2090

Relates to reporting on the metropolitan transportation authority's state of good repair

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Lester Chang and 1 co-sponsor

Requires NJ solid waste districts to cut food waste 50% by 2035 (baseline 2022); DEP to publish guidance and set a tiered composting-regulation framework.

REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS
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Bill Summary · A 2090

Summary — A2090 (Assembly)

Short title: Requires solid waste management districts to develop strategies to reduce food waste; requires DEP to provide guidance and to adopt a tiered regulatory structure for composting facilities.

Sponsor: Assemblyman Edward Ra (primary); cosponsor Lester Chang.
Companion: S2426 / S6384. Introduced Jan 9, 2024.

Purpose / Intent

The bill directs every solid waste management district in New Jersey (each county plus the Hackensack Meadowlands district administered by the NJ Sports & Exposition Authority) to develop, adopt, and implement a district-level strategy to cut food waste substantially. It also directs the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to publish guidance and to establish a tiered regulatory framework for composting facilities to facilitate organic waste recycling.

Key provisions

  • District strategies

    • Each solid waste management district must develop and implement a strategy, adopted as an amendment to its district solid waste management plan (or by administrative action under DEP rules), to reduce food waste by at least 50% by 2035, using 2022 as the baseline year.
    • Strategies must be approved by DEP.
    • In committee amendments the target year was moved from 2030 to 2035 and the baseline standardized to 2022.

  • DEP responsibilities

    • Within 180 days after enactment, DEP must develop and publish on its website a list of measures districts can use to meet the reduction target (examples: prevention, increased donation of edible surplus, source separation, composting, anaerobic digestion, public awareness campaigns).
    • DEP must adopt rules/regulations creating a tiered regulatory structure for composting facilities (based on the Solid Waste Management Act), which may include permit exemptions for very small/community operations.

  • Definition

    • “Food waste” is defined broadly to include food processing waste and residue, overripe/spoiled produce, trimmings, product over‑runs, soiled/unrecyclable paper, and used cooking fats, oil and grease. Committee amendments clarified that increased donation and increased composting/AD also count toward the reduction target.

Who is affected

  • Primary: All solid waste management districts (counties and the Hackensack Meadowlands district).
  • Secondary: Municipalities (implementing local programs), DEP (rulemaking, plan review), New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, waste haulers, composting/anaerobic digestion facilities, food businesses and nonprofits involved in donation programs.

Timeline / procedural highlights

  • Districts: required to develop strategy no later than two years after the bill’s effective date; target reduction by 2035 (2022 baseline).
  • DEP: required to publish guidance and commence rulemaking within 180 days of enactment.
  • Legislative status (selected): introduced Jan 9, 2024; reported by Assembly committees; amended and passed Assembly (55–24–0) June 30, 2025; referred in the Senate to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions (and received in Senate without reference for 2nd reading on Oct 20, 2025).

Fiscal impact (Office of Legislative Services estimate)

  • Local governments (counties + NJSEA): one‑time costs to amend plans (~$5,000 per district) plus public education/reduction efforts — OLS estimates a first‑year local cost roughly $1.2–$1.4 million (assuming ~ $55k–$61k per district for plan amendment and initial outreach). If municipalities create new separate curbside food waste collection systems, costs could be much larger (potentially millions per municipality; statewide costs could be in the hundreds of millions).
  • State (DEP): one‑time workload increase; estimated additional cost approximately $55,000–$62,400 (about 0.75 FTE) to develop guidance, web materials, review amended plans, and develop composting rules. Recurring costs depend on district program choices (e.g., ongoing outreach).

Notes / considerations

  • The bill allows flexibility in adoption (plan amendment or administrative action) and counts both diversion (composting/AD) and increased donation toward the reduction goal.
  • Implementation approaches will vary by district; the most cost‑effective near‑term strategy identified by OLS is public awareness and donation programs, while longer‑term infrastructure (collection/processing) could require significant capital and operational investment.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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