If drop-off food waste collection is implemented correctly, they can be a very low-cost, low-risk entry point for U.S. and Canadian municipalities to divert more waste away from landfill. The use of cart enclosures not only addresses these issues, but they also increase participation dramatically.
Food waste diversion is getting more and more attention across the U.S. and Canada. By preventing organic waste from going to landfill, we are not only cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but we can also directly benefit communities through composting. Although some communities have well-established curbside food waste collection programs, they can be costly, difficult to administer, and the discarded material is often contaminated.
So, what is the solution? As more Americans and Canadians become interested in sustainability and concerned about climate change, innovative local governments are embracing drop off for food waste as a way to increase organics diversion and reduce their carbon footprint.
The City of Coconut Creek, FL
One such program has recently got off the ground in the City of Coconut Creek, FL. Michael Heimbach, Solid Waste Project Manager, thinks that things like community composters popping up in towns are having a positive domino effect across the country. Having previously worked in the City of Gainesville, which had an extensive food waste program, Heimbach knew he wanted to kickstart something in Coconut Creek. 鈥淐ommunity composters really are the first step as programs like this evolve. It鈥檚 part of the evolution that we鈥檙e seeing in the industry,鈥� said Heimbach.
The pilot program initially launched with 50 people, with the aim of expanding in the coming months. Residents were made aware via targeted social media posts and citywide newsletters, giving them the opportunity to sign up and be the first to participate. As it was to be placed in a public area, a secure container with limited access was at the top of Heimbach鈥檚 list. After researching the market, a brand-new organics cart enclosure from metroSTOR was placed in the heart of the community.
With decades of experience in containerization solution strategy and execution for challenging environments, the metroSTOR team delivers proven waste diversion products and services across North America. Their partnerships deliver consistent waste and recycling infrastructure for city authorities, developers, corporate campuses, and universities, from multifamily residential, street corridor, and public spaces, to convenience centers. Diverting more food scraps from municipal solid waste is exactly what the metroSTOR F-Series cart enclosure was designed for. Delivering a robust unit for organics collections, neat and convenient to use, with controlled access to keep recycling streams clean. Integral to the development of metroSTOR cart enclosures and the collection of clean organics recycling, is a reliable access control system that is both easy to use and uncomplicated to administer. metroKEY is their Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) smartphone app and can be combined with an electronic keypad. Both types of controllers activate the same electronic latch system, making it simple for the end user to dispose of their food waste.
Image courtesy of The City of Coconut Creek, FL.
Keeping access to the bin limited to its 50 participants was very important. Not only would it allow for accurate data collection, but it also prevents anyone unfamiliar with the rules contaminating the unit. The new cart enclosure features a keypad lock, allowing access only to registered users. 鈥淭he keycode access works really well for us, and we鈥檙e hoping to expand the program with more units and Bluetooth access,鈥� says Heimbach. As for side waste, he reports that nothing has been dumped around the bin.
Educating residents is key to the success of programs like this, so bold graphics are displayed on both the cart enclosure and the waste buckets given to households. These clearly illustrate what can and cannot go into the bin in an effort to eliminate contamination. In addition to the bucket, residents are also given a kitchen pail and compostable bags.
As the program evolves, Heimbach has big plans for the future of food waste diversion in Coconut Creek. He hopes that as community engagement builds and volumes increase, he can add more units citywide to keep up with that demand. Additionally, while the keypad offers excellent access control, the next step will be adding Bluetooth access via metroSTOR鈥檚 own metroKEY app.
Another key part of any food waste program is effective collection and processing. Large scale cross-state transit of food waste has obvious negative effects on the environment. Another issue is that communities might not actually get to benefit from their own food waste diversion.
With that in mind, Heimbach and Coconut Creek are currently working with Filthy Organics鈥攁n independent collection and composting service situated just outside the city limits. Heimbach says that partners like these are integral to the program in its early stages, and will continue to be so as it gains more momentum. It means that the city is not only in control of, but also directly benefits from the full cycle of composting. While the city does not have the infrastructure yet to offer curbside collection, it is proof that great things can happen when communities come together.
metroKEY app in Manchester, CT.
Image courtesy of The Town of Manchester, CT.
The Town of Manchester, CT
Meanwhile, another drop-off program is in full swing around 1,300 miles northeast of Coconut Creek, in the town of Manchester, CT. Here, Rachel Schnabel, Recycling and Community Coordinator for the town, is looking to tackle the issue of organic waste recycling head on. She says, 鈥淭he thing about trash that most people don鈥檛 think about is that it needs to go somewhere. In Connecticut right now, most of the trash is getting hauled out of state and that鈥檚 not good for the environment for a number of reasons.鈥�
With residential food waste making up 40 percent of all wasted food in the U.S., Schnabel and her team went about creating a new way for the people of Manchester to have a better impact on the environment. The initial idea was to pilot the addition of food waste collection to one of the five curbside pickup days already in operation. However, Schnabel was focused on creating something that could be easily scaled to inspire other communities.
The idea was simple鈥攇ive residents an easy and accessible way to dispose of their own food waste while educating them on the positive impact it can have on the wider community. Once registered for the program, households received a free food scrap pail with compostable bags. Four locations across the town form what Schnabel calls the 鈥淔ood Waste Diamond鈥� and is made up of already well-frequented sites鈥攖he transfer station, a neighborhood park, one of the town鈥檚 libraries, and a senior center.
Thanks to signage and communication, residents know exactly what items can and cannot be accepted. The drop-off points are then emptied and taken to one of two anaerobic digesters鈥攐ne in nearby Southington CT and one in Agawam in the neighboring state of Massachusetts. Importantly, both of these sites are within a 40-minute drive from Manchester, cutting down on that mass cross-state haulage. While the food waste is being composted, the biogas created in the process is captured and used to generate green energy.
When choosing a food waste cart enclosure for residents to interact with, there was a lot to consider. A secure lid to minimize any unpleasant odors was a must, as well as the ability to open the lid and also have both hands available for disposing of food scraps for a user-friendly experience. Haulers advised that carts could be no larger than 65 gallons due to weight restrictions with hauling equipment. Finally, the enclosure had to support the closed-access features of apps like metroKEY.
Residents can download the app, allowing them to use their cellphone to access the units. Operators can then not only monitor who is using the carts, but also when they are being used. For example, in the unlikely event that incorrect items are deposited, a warning can be issued with the ability to ultimately ban repeat offenders. To combat this, information on accepted materials is easily communicated to the user within the app; a live map also shows all four satellite cart locations. In addition, users are able to report any issues that can be dealt with swiftly. Schnabel says, 鈥淚f you make it really easy for everybody who is interested to be involved, you鈥檙e going to get others interested, and that interest will grow.鈥�
So far, the pilot program has proved very popular with residents and the combination of the metroSTOR cart enclosures and metroKEY mean that contamination issues have been kept to a minimum. On average, the program is diverting around one ton of food scraps per month, helping to combat the 290 lbs. of food wasted by every American citizen per year. What is clear is that everyone taking part cares about doing the right thing for their community. It is a great start for Manchester and, more importantly, will serve as inspiration to other towns, cities, and states across the U.S. and Canada.
visibility on how the food waste drop off facility is being used.
Image courtesy of metroSTOR.
Compost Power
Finally, Domingo Morales is the Founder and CEO of Compost Power. With nine compost sites throughout New York City, his mission is to educate communities and provide residents with access to waste equity, sustainable education, and job training. He points out, 鈥淲e cannot fight climate justice without giving public housing residents the opportunity to be innovative, by giving them the power to make a difference at a local level.鈥�
metroSTOR recently installed a brand-new organics cart enclosure at Compost Power鈥檚 Williamsburg site. Featuring keypad access and a large aperture, the units fully comply with New York City鈥檚 containerization laws. This particular unit will soon be fitted with a custom vinyl wrap, and Morales hopes to roll them out to all eight of their other sites across the city. Residents can now use the facility any time day or night, and the service is being extended to commercial operators as well. 鈥淭he new unit boosts participation and it increases the amount of organic waste we can divert in an urban environment such as NYC. metroSTOR is taking organics collection to a whole other level and helping to contribute to community composting, especially with Compost Power,鈥� says Morales.
These success stories are proof that drop-off food waste collection, if implemented correctly, can be a very low-cost, low-risk entry point for U.S. and Canadian municipalities to divert more waste away from landfills. Simply placing carts in these locations is clearly problematic due to the increased risks of contamination, theft, and wildlife access. The use of cart enclosures, like in the discussed programs, not only addresses these issues, but they also increase participation dramatically.
Setting up a curbside collection program can cost as much as $10 per household. When you scale this across an entire municipality, you can understand why cities are often reluctant to commit to this without any assurance that contamination will not occur. By only collecting food waste from residents who are willing to bring their organics to a drop-off location, local governments can reduce program costs and improve the quality of the material received. Ultimately, it often just takes dedicated individuals like Michael Heimbach, Rachel Schnabel and Domingo Morales starting small to pave the way to a cleaner, safer world. | WA
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