SPRINGFIELD – To combat climate change and environmental degradation as well as provide food for students, State Senator Laura Ellman backed a new law aimed at helping schools reduce food waste and ensure more students have access to nutritious meals during the school day.
“This is a simple, practical solution that helps schools reduce waste while making sure more students have access to the food they need to learn and thrive,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “In a state where one in eight people face food insecurity, we should be doing everything we can to make sure good food doesn’t go to waste.”
According to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 3.8 million tons of food are sent to landfills in Illinois each year, where decomposing food produces methane, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. House Bill 4859 will address this environmental impact of food waste.
Under current law, school districts participating in federal child nutrition programs must develop food-sharing plans as part of their local wellness policies. House Bill 4859 will clarify that share tables, already used in many schools, can fulfill this requirement, ensuring safe, equitable, and efficient redistribution of unopened food items in accordance with guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture. Share tables are designated areas where students can place unopened, uneaten food items for others to take at no cost.
“Reducing food waste isn’t just about sustainability, it is about responsibility,” said Ellman. “By keeping edible food in circulation, we can support students, ease environmental impacts, and make better use of the resources we already have.”
“Hunger impacts the ability for students to learn and grow, so it’s important to provide them with the fuel and nutrition they need to be at the top of their game,” said Representative Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville). “Through this sustainable initiative, we’re combating food insecurity and reducing food waste across Illinois, because our kids and environment matter.”
House Bill 4859 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1.
