Long Beach Airport Food Scrap Program Diverts 35 Tons of Waste from Landfill

Long Beach, CA - Long Beach Airport (LGB) has achieved a major milestone in its sustainability efforts by diverting 35 tons - or 70,000 pounds - of organic waste from landfills since launching its food scrap recycling program in late 2021.

"As a City committed to sustainability, Long Beach is proud to see our award-winning Airport undertaking innovative waste diversion initiatives that have already diverted a whopping 35 tons of waste that otherwise would have wound up in a landfill," said Mayor Rex Richardson.

The food scrap recycling program, a collaboration with LGB concessionaire Paradies Lagardere, demonstrates Long Beach Airport's commitment to reducing organic waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Here's how it works:

• Food scraps from LGB's dining concessions, including meat, dairy, bread, vegetables, fruits, eggs, coffee grounds, cheese, pasta and other organic materials, are sorted from other solid waste by concessions staff.
• City Refuse picks up the food scraps weekly, holding the organics at a transfer station before delivering the material to be processed at one of three locations: Recology Blossom Valley Organics, Sage Ranch Compost or American Organics Composting Facility.
• The compost is used for multiple purposes, including industrial and agricultural.

LGB's food scrap recycling program is complemented by the City of Long Beach's Residential Organics Collection program, which launched its first phase in October 2024 and will continue to be rolled out throughout 2025.

All of Paradies Lagardere's concessions at LGB are officially certified, as of 2024, by the Green Restaurant Association, an international nonprofit organization that sets standards for restaurants to be more environmentally friendly. The association's standards include: energy, water, waste, reusables and disposables, chemicals and pollution, food, building and furnishing.

Food scrap recycling at LGB aligns with the State of California's sustainability requirements, including Assembly Bill 1826, which mandates that commercial operations divert organic waste, a measure further enforced in State Senate Bill 1383, which establishes statewide targets to achieve a 75% reduction of organic waste and recover at least 20% of edible food for human consumption by 2025.

"Food scrap recycling is just one piece in Long Beach Airport's broader commitment to sustainability," said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. "We're grateful to our concession operators for their partnership in continuing to set higher standards for environmentally conscious and efficient operations."

Now officially trademarked as america's coolest airport™, LGB provides a distinctively stress-free journey and a first-class customer experience with service from major air carriers such as Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines.

Visit www.lgb.org/green for more information about LGB's sustainability initiatives.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about Long Beach Airport is available at lgb.org and on Facebook, Instagram and X @LGBAirport.