Seattle Is Now Charging Citizens For Wasting Too Much Food

Americans waste one-third of our food every year It's a sobering fact, and one city is looking to turn that statistic around. Seattle will now be charging its citizens for throwing away too much food. The fine will amount to $1 tacked on to the next garbage bill for each household that throws away too many table scraps.

The Seattle Public Utilities Council has specifically determined that if sanitary workers picking up trash find that a household's garbage collection contains more than 10 percent food waste, then they can tack on the $1 fee. Apartment buildings and businesses will be subjected to the same fees, but will get two warnings before they are implemented. Ticketing starts January 1, and fees will go into effect on July 1, 2015.

The reason for the low price paid for too much food waste?

"The point isn't to raise revenue," Tim Croll, the agency's solid-waste director told The Seattle Times. "We care more about reminding people to separate their materials."

The goal, says the city agency, is to get the city's recycling rate up to 60 percent by the end of 2015.

For the latest happenings in the food and drink world, visit our Food News page.

Joanna Fantozzi is an Associate Editor with The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter@JoannaFantozzi