Curbside Composting

L. David Roper
http://www.roperld.com/personal/roperldavid.htm
6 September, 2022

Introduction

Composting reduces greenhouse gases emissions since using compost on gardens and fields sequests carbon in the soil. Food waste in landfills releases methane, a very potent greenhouse gas.

• 10 Questions for Cities and Towns Considering Residential Curbside Composting
• Guide to Apartment and Condo Composting
• The Ultimate Step by Step Guide for Composting

Examples of Curbside Composting

San Francisco, California

• Restaurants and food vendors are required to not use styrofoam food-service war and instead use food ware taht is recyclable or compostable.
• 2-gallons pail for food scraps
• 32-gallons or 64-gallons green cart for yard waste, soiled paper and food scraps
• Organics collection vehicle
• Blue bins for recyclables, green bins for compostables and black bins for landfill-bound materials
• Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) system for landfill-bound materials
• Achieves 80% diversion from landfills, highest in North America
• http://greencitiescalifornia.org/best-practices/waste-reduction/SF_mandatory-recycling-composting.html

Portland, Oregon

• The program started with 2000 households for one year.
• Each residence gets a green yard-waste bin.
• Each resident gets a two-gallon compost pail to store food scraps.
• The food scraps, paper napkins and pizza boxes are deposited in the yard-waste bin.
• The yard-waste bins are picked up every week.
• Normal trash pick up is every two weeks instead of every week to encourage recycling.
• Food waste is estimated to be ~30% of residential waste.
• http://www.opb.org/news/blog/ecotrope/the-pros-and-cons-of-curbside-composting-in-portland/

Seattle, Oregon

• Does not have curbside composting, but has a strong program to encourage backyard composting.
• Free Kitchen Compost Kit for Seattle residents
• Detailed information provided about composting
• Recommends and sells at a low price the Green Cone backyard food composting bins.

Washington, DC

• I turn garbage into food.
• Compost Cab: $32/month
• Countertop collection basket with airtight bin, lined with a sturdy, compostable bag.
• "If it grows, it goes."
• Weekly pickup leaves a clean bin with a new liner.
• Waste delivered to urban farms.
• Also works with commercial clients.
• Considered as a short-term business until the city comes up with a curbside-composting plan.

University Park, MD

• http://www.gazette.net/article/20130318/NEWS/130319317/university-park-spreads-compost-program-first-in-prince&template=gazette
• Started as a 15-month pilot program for 50 families.
• Waste goes to U.S. Dept. of Agriculture in Beltsville, MD to be used in composting research.
• http://riverdalepark.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/step-up-wins-award-for-kitchen-waste-compost-program
• Uses Compost Cab.

Marin County, CA

http://www.marinsanitary.com/residential-services/how-to-curbside-compost

Austin TX

Curbside Organics Collection Pilot (Started 31 Dec 2012, now 14,000 households)

St. Paul, MN

http://makedirtnotwaste.org/at-home/curbside-composting

Athens, GA

http://letuscompost.com/curbside-composting/

Princeton, NJ

http://www.princetonnj.gov/curbside-organics.html

Brattleboro, VT

Residential Project COW (Composting Organic Waste) encourages backyard composting.

New York, NY

Plans are being made.

Manchester, MA

http://www.manchester.ma.us/Pages/ManchesterMA_DPW/FAQcurbsidecompost.pdf

Boston, MA

Plans are being made.

Somerville, MA

Plans are being made.

Western Michigan

http://www.organicycle.org/home

Salt Lake City, UT

Curbside composting of yard waste

Canada

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_bin for links to composing programs in several cities or regions.

References

• Composting forf Beginners
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_management#Waste_handling_and_transport
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Mandatory_Recycling_and_Composting_Ordinance
• http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Portland-Announces-Curbside-Compost-Collection-90796139.html
• http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGCentral/Library/innovations/curbside/CaseStudy.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_bin
• http://www.earth911.com/home-garden/taking-compost-to-the-curb/
• http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/09/why-doesnt-your-city-have-curbside-composting
• http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/solving-cities/is-there-a-curbside-composting-boom-in-us-cities/
• http://wamu.org/programs/metro_connection/13/01/25/ahead_of_the_curve_on_curbside_composting
• Green Cone Composting System
• http://www.earthshare.org/2014/02/compost.html
• http://www.ecocycle.org/recycle-compost-reuse/compost
• https://www.pritikin.com/food-waste-resources
• https://www.yardcare.life/how-to-start-make-a-compost-pile-at-home/
• https://www.austinrealestate.com/homeowners-guide-to-composting.php