composting pilot

July 28, 2021

 

Media Borough, Pennsylvania’s Food Compost Program uses a witty video encouraging participation in its organic waste diversion and composting program. We had to share – not only is it fun – it works!

The Borough launched its pilot program to gauge the feasibility of adding food scrap collection to its current recycling efforts. This month the program is available to all residents.   The food scrap collection program provides residents the opportunity to separate food from the rest of their household waste for collection and composting at a local compost farm.

Media Borough estimates it has 70%  recycling participation in the community – that’s an impressive number. Its current recycling and yard waste programs divert close to 30% of residential solid waste from landfills and incinerators.  Adding a food scrap collection program can reduce residential waste by another 30% and create compost.

The Borough’s Public Works website explains the reasons why organic matter, matters.

  • Composting reduces greenhouse gases.   Composting keeps food scraps out of the incinerator, decreasing pollution and the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas 310 times more powerful in atmospheric warming than carbon dioxide.
  • Composting reduces energy consumption.   The composting process requires fewer work hours than incineration and no fuel deliveries, further lowering greenhouse gases.
  • Composting turns food waste into a valuable resource.  When we compost food waste, we create nutrient-rich fertilizer used by local farmers and gardeners.   Instead of sending food waste to be burned in the solid waste incinerator, composting recycles nutrients and fiber back into the soil where it can support the growth of fresh new food for our tables.

 

Thank you to this Pennsylvania community and its Public Works department for helping to sustain future generations with their reduce, reuse, and recycling actions.  We hope by sharing their video and results, we’ll see greater participation in communities nationwide.

 

Get inspired watching Gotta, Getta Bucket, and consider a pilot program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am