The European Environment Agency released a new report this spring, Bio-Waste in Europe — Turning Challenges Into Opportunities, that provides an overview of biowaste prevention, generation, collection and treatment in Europe. The report is filled with statistics and case studies from a wide range of EU member countries. Its purpose, note the authors, is to “support countries by sharing experiences and best practices.”

The City of Baltimore, Maryland’s Food Waste Recovery Strategy aims to reduce commercial food waste in Baltimore City by 50% and residential food waste by 80% by 2040. Baltimore generates 430,000 tons of trash annually, and the majority is incinerated, contributing to the city’s high asthma rate. At the same time, nearly one in four Baltimore residents does not have a reliable supply of food, notes the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), more than twice the national average.

The Center for Sustainable Infrastructure (CSI) released a blueprint for transforming the Pacific Northwest’s waste system into “a world-class model that delivers widespread economic, health and environmental benefits.” From Waste Management to Clean Materials details a clear pathway that can create tens of thousands of clean materials jobs across the region by 2040. The starting point for the blueprint is the intensifying crisis facing solid waste management.