Connecticut is investing in food waste solutions

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has awarded grants to 15 towns and three regional groups to launch various pilot programs to test ways of diverting household food waste from landfills to compost. 

Here’s an example: The town of West Hartford, CT received a grant of $106,200 to launch a pilot program to tackle food waste through curbside composting. The goal of the program is to collect data about the impact that this type of diversion can have on total household waste.

Here’s how it will work: Residents will separate their food scraps from their trash, placing the food scraps in a separate roadside container to be picked up by a waste collection service, just like regular waste and recycling. The program will involve 690 residences, will begin in the spring of next year, and will run for nine months. In the leadup to the program’s launch, there will be an on-the-ground push to educate participating households in order to ensure the program’s success. Anyone interested in volunteering to help with these efforts should email [email protected]. Proponents are hopeful that this pilot program will lead to a more permanent program, if all goes well.

Interested in reducing your personal food waste? Check out this guide for some tips.