New Hanover County, North Carolina’s Food Waste Composting Program is now fully operational and open to the public, after over a year of pilot testing the composting system.
This new program diverts food waste from the landfill and makes a meaningful step towards reducing the amount of waste the county generates.
Anyone in New Hanover County can bring unpackaged food waste, free of charge, to the composter, including restaurants and other businesses. “If you ever throw out leftovers, stale bread, or rotten fruit – this program is for you,” said the county’s Environmental Management Director Joe Suleyman.
“In New Hanover County, more than 50% of the waste delivered to our landfill is food waste or other material that can be easily composted,” says Suleyman. “The county’s recycling programs and operations are diverting nearly everything we can from the landfill, except for food. So this program is a new and important way that residents can help save landfill space and reduce the county’s environmental impact.”
The composting program consists of an innovative in-vessel system designed to eliminate odors and wastewater issues that are typically associated with composting operations. It creates nutrient-rich compost that helps plants retain moisture, encourages strong root growth, provides a slow, steady release of nutrients, and protects the soil against some common pests and diseases.
For more information about the Food Waste Composting Program, where to bring food waste, and what may be accepted there, visit recycling.nhcgov.com/services/food-waste-composting.
Source: Jessica Loeper, New Hanover County (NC)
