Non Technical Summary
Food Waste is a significant component of the solid waste stream in Westchester County making it a management challenge that requires a multifaceted approach. In recent years, DEF has researched and participated in studies to continue to take steps to remove food waste from the solid waste stream and turn it into a resource through composting. DEF believes that recovering food scraps from the waste stream not only results in a valuable resource- compost- but can support the environment by composting locally and reducing transportation and processing emissions.Westchester County currently supports a food scrap collection program (RFSTAD) and a small scale compost site for education outreach (CompostED). CompostED serves the dual purpose of working with food pantries to collect inedible food scraps for free, process the inedible food into compost, and then distribute the compost to community gardens who in turn grow food to feed those in need. Westchester County plans to expand these programs by hiring a new staff person to support the programs and purchasing a new box truck to increase current collection and distribution efficiencies.A one-time infusion of Federal funds will provide a timely boost to CompostED's current impact. More food scraps will be collected from food pantries, more compost will be distributed to community gardens, and more educational tours and compost can be provided to the public, teaching the importance of keeping food scraps out of the garbage. All the while, CompostED will continue to support community efforts to feeding those in need by providing food scrap collections to food pantries, and compost to community gardens and farms growing food for donation.Food scrap recycling is at a critical juncture in Westchester County as DEF has begun to budget, research and design a 10,000-ton food waste/20,000-ton yard waste composting facility with a planned completion of 2-3 years. CompostED, with its proven track record, presents an opportunity to play a critical role in increasing public awareness of food scrap recycling and increasing residential participation in existing food scrap recycling efforts (RFSTAD) prior to the opening of the new facility that will have a significant impact on diverting food scraps from being processed as garbage.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
Purchase a multi-use vehicle capable of picking up food waste and delivering compost to partnerships to replace current vehicle that is at end of life. Vehicle is necessary for accomplishing project goals outlined below.Hire new staff position to assist Program Specialist- Compost Operations with the project goals outlined below.Project Goal: Divert food waste from the waste stream:This project goal will be a continuation and dramatic expansion of current program operations. With the support of an additional staff person and a new multi-use truck, the CompostED program will be able to significantly increase its capacity for food scrap collections. CompostED will continue to collect food scraps from the largest food pantries in Westchester County: Feeding Westchester, Caritas Meals on Main Street Portchester and Hope Community Services. Working with pantries assures that our food waste collection strategy is aligned with the EPA's wasted food scale, as all food collected is inedible perishable food, which was already donated to pantries.Deliverable: Collect 40-55 tons of food waste from food pantries annually for a total of 80-110 tons over the course of the two-year project.Project Goal: Donate and deliver compost to farms and community gardens: This project goal will be a continuation and expansion of current program operations. With the support of an additional staff person and a new box truck, the CompostED program will be able to significantly increase its capacity for compost donations. CompostED will continue to partner with farms and community gardens that improve and assist low income families and individuals and/or marginalized communities. The partner organizations chosen for collaboration will (a) Donate a significant portion of their produce to those in need, and/or (b) create growing spaces which will allow low income families and individuals to grow fresh, healthy produce for their own consumption.Deliverable: Donate and deliver at least 80 cy (40 tons) of compost to farms and community gardens, reducing their reliance on fertilizers, and improving soil quality.Project Goal: Increase educational and outreach efforts:Deliverable (1): Increase the number of educational tours at CompostED compared to previous years. Goal is to host 500 individuals per year.Increase the number of compost distribution events:Deliverable (2): Increase the number of compost distribution events. Goal is to host 10 events per year.Project Goal: Collaborate with municipalities to create local food waste compost sites:Deliverable: Identify municipalities within the waste disposal district that may have the ability to locally compost food waste collected at their own food scrap drop-off site. Identify whether each municipality has a suitable location, required equipment and staffing. Identify obstacles to implementation to empower local municipal officials to pursue the endeavor.If suitable and willing municipality is identified, work with municipality to design a low-cost pilot system, such as a pipe-on-grade ASP system, and train personnel on how to manage compost system to create a beneficial product.
Project Methods
Funding for this project will suport an established program in CompostED. To increase food scrap collections each week, using the new truck, CompostED Staff will deliver 10-11 empty 64-gallon organics toters to each participating food pantry.Partner pantries will be allotted up to four 64-gallon organics toter bins, which when full, weigh between 200-400 lbs. (depending on type of food in container). Bins will be weighed upon receipt and the weight will be recorded. Full toters at each location are replaced with clean, empty ones for each pantry's use in the following week. Typically, between 1,500-4,000 lbs. are picked up weekly (with the exception of agreed upon holiday weeks). Collected Toter bins will be brought back to CompostED, and processed the following work day. This operation and sequence of food waste pick up will be active approximately 48 out of 52 weeks each year. If an average of 2,000 lbs. per week is anticipated, allowing for seasonal variability, and fluctuation in the activity of each pantry, we estimate that between 40-55 tons will be collected and composted at CompostED, annually and 80-110 tons over the scope of the project.Similarly, compost distribution has an established work flow that will continue and grow with this project.CompostED currently produces approximately 140-160 cy of high quality ΒΌ inch screened compost. Following receipt of food waste, processing entails mixing each week's food waste with bulking agent (ground yard waste), and initiating the compost process in 1 of 8 aerated bunkers at the facility. The initial composting mass begins at a volume of approximately 9-10 cy. The materials are managed on the ASP system for a period of 6-7 weeks, during which they are turned 3 times. Afterward, the material is set aside in windrows and cures for at least two months before it is screened and stockpiled for distribution. It is estimated that weekly production of finished screened compost is ~3-3.5 cy. This equals a total of 140-160 cy (70-80 tons) of screened compost produced during the 48 weeks of the site's yearly activity. The compost is then delivered community gardens, schools, and at compost distribution events.Using the remaining compost that is produced at CompostED (following distribution to partner farms and community gardens as outlined in point 2 in this section), screened compost will be bagged and palletized by CompostED and other DEF staff, when available. Each pallet will contain 25, 7.5 gallon bags, with each pallet totaling 1 cubic yard of compost. At each event, each resident recipient will receive 1 bag of compost, and 6-8 pallets will be allocated per event, allowing each event to distribute compost to 150-200 households. 10 events will allow us to distribute compost to between 1500-2000 residents annually.CompostED recognizes that residential compost distributions offer a valuable opportunity to raise awareness about food waste composting, and help create and foster relationships with local advocates for composting. CompostED will bag and palletize compost created at CompostED to host residential compost distribution events throughout Westchester County, as we have done in 2024, with substantially more events. Though limited staffing has allowed us to host 5 compost distribution events in 2024, we expect to be able to conduct 10 events annually. The events will specifically target constituencies around existing RFSTAD drop-off sites to encourage new participation, and to foster relationships with municipal officials, community advisory committees, environmental advocacy groups, which we believe will increase residential participation at RFSTAD sites.CompostED has developed a hands-on and engaging educational curriculum that has received positive feedback from schools and residents. Due to limited staffing, tours have been limited to approximately 200 individuals per year. With additional funding for an additional staff member, we will be able to host at least 500 individuals per year, including more schools and residents. Tours will support the EPA's Waste Food Scale and educate the public on the importance of preventing food waste. CompostED will strategically leverage the facility tours to create composting advocates in local communities who will in turn help increase participation in the RFSTAD program. Scripts for the tours were provided in the application and will be modified as needed, based on feedback and input from new staff.CompostED has been active in training and empowering municipalities to begin food waste composting within their own facilities. In 2023, CompostED worked closely with the City of White Plains to help the city begin composting food waste collected at their food scrap drop-off, at the Gedney Way recycling center. The city had been participating in RFSTAD, but showed interest in composting locally after touring the CompostED site. The tour demonstrated the relative simplicity of food waste composting via the aerated static pile system to White Plains municipal officials. CompostED Staff then helped design a simplified POG (Pipe on Grade) system at the Gedney Way Recycling Center, and over the course of several months, trained staff on how to utilize the system to optimize the composting process. Today, White Plains continues to compost its food waste using this system, and no longer diverts its food waste through the RFSTAD program, reducing transportation emissions, and providing a model and system that can be expanded if and when the City if White Plains chooses to do so. Through tours and regular outreach with municipalities DEF will seek to replicate the success of the White Plains collaboration to bring local composting opportunities to other municipalities.