From trash to table: How CT is working to tackle a growing waste crisis

By Chloe Wynne,

Published November 20, 2025 at 7:15 AM EST

Domingo Medina chops food scraps that his workers hauled in to a lot where his business makes compost. Medina runs Peels & Wheels Composting, which uses bicycle trailers to pick up food scraps from subscribers around New Haven, Conn. The compost is then given to subscribers or donated to local community gardens. Medina says it’s important to get organic materials that will otherwise be burned or sent to a landfill out of the wastestream. “Organic residues are a resource, it’s not waste,” he said.

Many Americans are feeling the pressure of rising grocery bills. Meanwhile, an estimated $550 million worth of food will go to waste this Thanksgiving alone. That’s according to the nonprofit ReFed.

This hour, we’ll hear about statewide efforts to reduce, reuse and rethink what we throw away.

And later, we’ll hear from experts on the front lines of food recovery — people working to get good food out of landfills and onto kitchen tables instead.

GUESTS:

Katie Dykes: Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Jennifer Heaton-Jones: Executive director, Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority
Lori Martin: Co-founder and executive director, Haven’s Harvest
Karen Saggese: Fairfield county co-site director, Food Rescue US

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