Anaerobic Digestion Data Collection Project
On this page:
- About the Anaerobic Digestion Data Collection Project
- Purpose and Scope of Data Collection
- Survey Distribution
- Survey Results
About the Anaerobic Digestion Data Collection Project
Anaerobic digestion facilities can process food waste that would otherwise go to landfills and combustion facilities. Of the 40 million tons of wasted food generated by manufacturers and processors, EPA estimates that three percent are landfilled or combusted. An estimated 43 percent of the generated amount is managed by anaerobic digestion and the remaining 54 percent is managed by other management pathways. Anaerobic digestion is not used to divert as much of the wasted food generated in food retail, food service and residential sectors, however. Of the 66 million tons of wasted food generated in these sectors, 75 percent are landfilled or combusted. An estimated one percent of the generated amount is managed by anaerobic digestion and the remaining 24 percent is managed by other management pathways.
EPA recognized that data showing the capacity of anaerobic digestion facilities to process food waste are important for states, communities, and others who are looking to divert food waste from landfills and combustion facilities. To provide these data, EPA obtained approvals from the White House Office of Management and Budget to survey operators of anaerobic digestion facilities. Approval for data collection was initially granted in 2016, and subsequently updated to allow EPA to continue collecting data through 2025.
Purpose and Scope of Data Collection
EPA uses electronic surveys to collect the following types of information about anaerobic digestion facilities that accept food waste:
- Names and locations of anaerobic digestion facilities processing food waste.
- Operational dates.
- Types and sources of food-based and non-food-based feedstocks.
- The capacity for processing food waste.
- Tipping fees.
- Facility operations, such as de-packaging/preprocessing.
- Biogas production, gas cleaning systems, and biogas end-uses.
- Treatment methods and end-uses of digestate.
Survey Distribution
EPA surveys and collects data from operators of the following types of anaerobic digestion facilities that accept food waste:
- Stand-alone food waste digesters.
- On-farm digesters that co-digest food waste.
- Digesters at water resource recovery facilities that co-digest food waste.
EPA distributed the survey in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023. In the future, EPA will continue to gather new data, as approved by the Office of Management and Budget, and to verify the data that were previously collected.
- How to Submit Data for your Anaerobic Digestion Facility.
- Frequent questions about EPA’s collection of anaerobic digestion data.
Survey Results
In September 2018, September 2019, and January 2021, respectively, EPA published its first, second, and third reports of survey results. The most recent, fourth, report was published in April 2023.
Most of the collected data are current to the year the survey was shared with anaerobic digesters. However, the following six data points are specific to an operating year:
- amount of food waste processed.
- amount of non-food waste processed.
- amount of biogas produced.
- types of feedstocks processed.
- sources of feedstock processed.
- processing capacity.
For these data points, the first report presents data from 2015, and the second report presents data from 2016. The third report presents data for both 2017 and 2018. The fourth report presents data from 2019.
Note: The survey questions are included as links embedded in the first three PDF documents listed below. Once you access a document by using the link below, you must download and open it in a PDF viewer to access the survey questions.
- Anaerobic Digestion Facilities Processing Food Waste in the United States in 2015 (pdf) (5.03 MB, September 2018, EPA/903/S-18/001) Please note that on September 27, 2018, this first EPA report was updated to correct the reported overall biogas production amount for 2015. On September 27, 2019, this report was updated again to correct the food waste capacity and food waste processed amounts.
- Anaerobic Digestion Facilities Processing Food Waste in the United States (2016) (pdf) (3.16 MB, September 2019, EPA/903/S-19/001).
- Anaerobic Digestion Facilities Processing Food Waste in the United States (2017 & 2018) (pdf) (1.73 MB, January 2021, EPA/903/S-21/001).
- Anaerobic Digestion Facilities Processing Food Waste in the United States (2019)(pdf) (2.2 MB, April 2023, EPA-530-R-23-003). Please note that on April 14, 2023, EPA updated this report to correct Figure 6 Top Five Food Waste Types.