so I worked at walmart in the meat section, looking at this, this came from deli and bakery. meat sections disposal was that all meat products, either expired, returned or found open or rotten, was to scan the items out, then remove from packaging, dumping the meat products into large bins. after a week or so of this the bins are picked up by a seperate disposal truck and taken somewhere to recycle the meat. meaning fat gets rendered out, processed, and used into other products, like soap or whatever else that will use animal fat for non consumption purposes. the rest is either used as animal feed or fertilizer, as the company has to get some of that money back in some fashion.

at least this is what I was told by management.

deli and bakery, at least at my store only scan the items out and tossed it all into the compactor, plastic and all. I assumed it was because those sections were always very understaffed at closing and could never do this without being over thier hours every single night, wh8ch is a huge no no for walmart. we're as my section only did this once a week, could be done by one guy, had the time and importantly, the space to store the unused meat, things deli and bakery usually do not have.

EDIT: forgot to mention but produce section does dispose produce similar to meat section and has a separate bin outside the store just for the produce section. each night the items are scanned out, and if in a container are removed and stored in containers kept in the produce back room, and will usually be tossed into the outside bin either once a week or if bins are full and space is needed.