Impact technology company Divert Inc. announced a new Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility will be opening in Harrison, Ohio, as a way to further their goal of preventing and processing food waste and to bring new job opportunities to the county. 

The U.S. produces more than 63 million tons of wasted food annually. At the same time, wasted food accounts for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

In Hamilton County, Ohio alone, 60 million pounds of food is wasted a year, equivalent to approximately 74 pounds per person. With the food insecurity rate in the county at 12.5%, nearly 1% higher than the national average, there is a clear opportunity to address this crisis.

CEO and co-founder of Divert, Ryan Begin, said in the press release that the county is an important hub for agriculture and food manufacturing.

"We are eager to introduce our mission and solutions to benefit this area. Divert is grateful to have significant local support, and we are ready to get to work to make a positive environmental, economic, and social impact on this community," he stated. 

The company states their goal is to tackle this problem across the United States and soon Ohio, by leveraging "technology enabled infrastructure to prevent food from going to waste by converting inedible wasted food into renewable energy." The facility will also provide companies with data that will allow them to take preventive steps to waste less food and address food insecurity. 

One of the largest retailers in the country, Kroger, has also joined forces in Divert. The company's vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer, Keith Dailey, said they're proud of working with the company.

"Kroger is proud to collaborate with Divert to further our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan, which aims to end hunger in our communities and eliminate waste across our business. Divert's facilities are instrumental in supporting our operational efforts and Divert's new facility in Ohio will greatly benefit our local communities by providing the necessary infrastructure to efficiently manage and recycle unsold organic products.” he said. 

Divert operates 13 facilities across the U.S., capturing wasted food from retailers, food manufacturers, and other companies. To date, the company has processed 2.6 billion pounds of wasted food and helped to facilitate the donation of over 14 million pounds of food to feed communities in need.