HARRISBURG – New guardrails regulating the use of food processing residuals are now law in PA after being included in the newly passed state budget, establishing necessary oversight for commercial food waste that is disposed of on some farms. Food processing residuals, also known as FPR, are the leftover products created by commercial food processing. They can include vegetable peelings, raw meat scraps, and liquid waste from cleaning processes that might contain blood, fat, hair, feathers, and a variety of other vegetable and animal byproducts, as well as chemicals used in processing. The results of spreading FPR on farmland have included noxious odors, air quality problems, and contaminated drinking water. Surrounding states have heavily restricted or banned the use of these residuals, making PA a target for the cheap disposal of this commercial waste stream. The statutory language in the legislation garnered wide bipartisan support.
