Model Food Scrap Composting

September 16, 2014

The Franklin County Solid Waste District (FCSWMD) is comprised of twenty-two member towns in western Massachusetts. The District provides technical assistance for organics composting at schools and special events. Fourteen schools in the District compost their kitchen and cafeteria food scraps. Organics are collected in a dumpster and hauled by Triple T Trucking to Martin’s Farm in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

The District also manages four municipal organics drop-off programs at transfer stations in Whately, Northfield, New Salem, and Orange. Food scraps and soiled paper are collected in each of the towns.  All four towns have volume-based rate – pay as you throw (“PAYT”) trash disposal, with free organics disposal for residents.

Program Description

Town of Whately

The Whately Municipal Organics Program was launched in 2003 with a Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection technical assistance grant. Food scraps are collected at the Whately Transfer Station; collection carts are monitored by the Whately Transfer Station attendants.

The collected materials are composted at Bear Path Farm in Whately.  The town of Whately now pays a transfer station attendee (with his personal truck) to haul the collected organics to the farm for composting. The Whately Elementary School also sends food and nonrecyclable paper to Bear Path Farm; the town covers the costs of hauling the material to Bear Path Farm.

Town of Northfield

The Northfield Municipal Organics Program was launched in 2008 at the town transfer station. A three-cubic yard organics dumpster, rented by the town, is equipped with a locking bar to deter bears. The dumpster is serviced weekly by Triple T Trucking and hauled to Martin’s Farm Compost and Mulch in Greenfield, Massachusetts for composting. The weekly collection for the transfer station is provided at a flat rate of $105 per month, paid for by the town.

Town of New Salem

The New Salem Municipal Organics Program was initiated by the District in July 2009. Due to concerns about bears, the barrels are contained in a “bear-resistant,” lockable wooden box designed and installed by Clear View Composting, which collects the food scraps on  a weekly basis

Town of Orange

The Orange Municipal Organics Program was begun in May 2011. Three, 20-gallon barrels are placed at the town transfer station for collection. As with the town of New Salem, due to the concern over bears, Clear View Composting customized and installed a lockable wooden box to house the barrels. The barrels are collected weekly by Clear View and transported to the company’s compost site in Orange.

Conclusion

The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District presents a model for rural and small town implementation of source separated organics. The Districts success at receiving grant funding to initiate programs and continue ongoing improvements in the programs has allowed them to undertake innovative programing such as collection of food scraps.

The District staff’s ability to provide technical assistance to support program development and provide ongoing education and training offers a cost-effective and sustainable approach for organics management. The fifteen public schools in the District participating in source separated organics is also indicative of the dedication the District has to advancing organics management. 

The commitment of Triple Trucking to haul separated organics and of the compost operations involved in the District’s program—Bear Path Farm, Clearview Composting, and Martin’s Farm—supports the Districts efforts and allows for a sustainable and cost-effective solution for the collection of food scraps.

Visit NERC’s website to view the full case study on organics diversion in Franklin County Solid Waste District.

By Athena Lee Bradley