Evaluating Educational Outreach Strategies for Organic Waste Management Policies at Food Establishments in Snohomish County, Washington

Abstract

Purpose of the Study: Washington State generates 4.7 million tons of organic waste annually, with over two million tons sent to landfills, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. In response, Washington has implemented Business Organic Management Areas (BOMA), which require businesses with access to sufficient infrastructure to divert organic waste away from landfills. Local health jurisdictions are responsible for enforcing BOMA. The residential version of this program, Organics Recycling Collection Areas (ORCA), will be implemented in 2027. The success of these policies depends on effective education and engagement strategies, particularly for food establishments. In partnership with the Snohomish County Environmental Health District, this project explored the potential for education and outreach to impact food establishments' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to organic waste management in Snohomish County, Washington, and examined how geographic factors may also influence these outcomes. Design and Methods: This intervention study used a KAP survey that was distributed to food establishments through five treatment groups: mail with and without education, email with and without education, and in-person education through the Snohomish County Pollution Prevention Assistance (PPA) program. 2,581 food establishments were contacted. Outcomes were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum, Kruskal-Wallis, and Welch two-sample t-tests, and multivariate linear regression models assessed the independent effect of education while controlling for composting status and rural/urban classification. Geographic factors were examined using Rural Urban Commuting Area codes and ZIP code-level educational attainment data. Results: Knowledge scores were low across all groups, indicating that many food establishments do not know about BOMA or the Organics Management Laws. Education was significantly associated with only one attitude outcome, the perceived importance of keeping food waste out of the landfill (β = +0.80, p = 0.006). Overall, the results suggest that educational outreach was more effective at shifting attitudes than building knowledge. In-person outreach through the PPA program was able to reach audiences that were less likely to already be composting compared to mail and email respondents, suggesting it may be more effective at engaging food establishments not already familiar with organics waste management. The most commonly cited barriers to separating organic waste were lack of staff time or capacity (32.7%), being unsure about requirements (26.9%), and cost of composting services (23.1%). Implications: Findings from this study will inform local health jurisdictions on how to better support food establishments in complying with BOMA, preparing for ORCA, and advancing statewide organic waste reduction goals. In-person education may be more effective than mail or email for reaching food establishments not already engaged with organic waste management. Coordinated outreach across local jurisdictions and the state will be critical to support food establishments in meeting state and federal food waste reduction goals.