In the first month of a new food waste recovery program, over 36,000 pounds of compostable material have already been collected through a cooperative effort among six Waukesha-area grocery stores, a hauler, a compost facility, and WasteCap Wisconsin, the coordinator of the program.
The three-month collection pilot will run from February 11 - May 13, 2002. The goal is to help recover this valuable resource by connecting food waste generators, haulers who can transport the material and markets who can compost the material.
As part of the program, BKT Sentry Foods-Meadowbrook, BKT Sentry Foods-Fox Run, Jewel Osco, Kohl's Food Emporium, Pick n' Save and Rainbow Foods in Waukesha are separating their food waste and other organic materials for composting. During the pilot, employees are collecting all produce and bakery unfit for sale or donation, produce preparation trimmings and waxed cardboard in designated containers.
WasteCap Wisconsin is working closely with the department managers and staff to explain the logistics of the separation program and provide the stores with signs that clearly explain the separation procedures. The organic materials are emptied into outside dumpsters, clearly labeled "Compostables Only." The dumpsters range in size from two to eight cubic yards and come equipped with locks to avoid contamination.
The organic materials are collected twice a week by Best Disposal, Inc. which monitors the containers for contamination, tracks how much is in each container, and weighs the compostable material. Best Disposal takes the organic materials to S&R Compost's facility in Whitewater, WI. S&R Compost currently composts yard waste from several municipalities and chicken manure from their egg farms. They produce commercially-available compost from these materials, and are testing including food scraps in the yard waste composting.
Frank Schimpf, S&R Compost, is very pleased with the material coming from the grocery stores, noting that "the material has been free from any major contamination and is breaking down very well in the compost pile." Schimpf is closely monitoring the compost recipe and developing a procedure that will create the highest quality compost. S&R Compost is able to produce finished compost in about two months with the finished product being suitable for use by home gardeners, landscapers, and municipal projects. The recipe and procedure will be documented by WasteCap so that it can easily be replicated by other compost facilities throughout Wisconsin.
In addition to testing the effectiveness of this type of project, the economic viability is being measured. One grocery store has already reduced their trash collection from six times a week to two times a week thereby reducing their trash collection costs. The operation is a break-even venture for the stores who are using the cost-savings from reduced trash pick-ups to offset the collection costs of the organic materials. WasteCap is closely monitoring and tracking the quantities of organics diverted and all associated costs of the program. A full cost analysis will be conducted upon completion of the pilot to help the stores' determine the potential for future expansion of the program.
