Community Corner

County's Expanded Composting Facility Opens on Earth Day

The expansion of the new facility will allow 10,000 residents to recycle food scraps and other waste so it can be turned into compost.

 

It's easy to think nothing of throwing carrot or potato peels into the trash or down the garbage disposal. They quickly decompose.

But Howard County announced on Monday that residents can participate in an expanded pilot program that composts food scrap and yard waste.

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A new composting facility at the Alpha Ridge Landfill will enable the county to double the size of its curbside food scrap collection program to allow 10,000 residents in Elkridge and Columbia to recycle food waste.

The expanded pilot program invites residents who live in areas of River Hill and Fulton to participate. Residents can contact the county's recycling division for more information about how to obtain a bin if you're located in the program area.

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Howard County Executive Ken Ulman asked a crowd gathered at the ceremony on Monday whether people will actually recycle food scraps from their home.

"If you make it convenient, if you make it easy, the answer is 'yes,'" said Ulman, who said this is part of the county's goal to work toward recycling all the trash out of residents' homes. 

Currently, the county ships its food scraps and yard trim—the main ingredients in compost—to Delaware. However this new facility allows the county to process the organic material locally, which eventually turns the house and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost used for farming and gardening.

The facility is capable of handling about 2,500 tons of organic material per year, according to Jeffrey Dannis, operations chief for the county's bureau of environmental services.

The program works in conjuction with residents, according to Jim Irvin, director of public works. First, residents place food scraps and other organic materials into a green bin, which they leave outside their house along with recyclables to be picked up. That material is then transported to the landifill where a large shredder tears it into mulch-like pieces. Piles of this organic mulch is left on ashpalt to decompose over time, covered with a large tarp. After about 45 days the mulch turns into compost soil, which is later sold to the public.

A resident who participated in the pilot program in Elkridge said it was easy for her to recycle food.

"I'm one of the lazy people who hasn't been able to make composting work on my own, I need some assistance," said Rahim Ligon. "It has become a habit in our house."

Ligon said she wasn't bothered by the yuck factor—the scent of the decomposing organic material inside her home. "It wasn't significant," said Ligon. She did say there was an issue with fruit flies, but after figuring that one out she said it's a pretty easy process.

Public works officials said they don't supply residents with kitchen receptacles because people like to find one that fits in their kitchen. Irvin said kitchen bins should be emptied out about every three days to fight the smell.

"When sent to a landfill or incinerator, compostable materials—banana peels, broccoli stalks, potato peels, apple cores and other leftover food scraps are a liability," said Brenda Platt, co-director of the Institute for Self Reliance. "But when composted, they are a valuable asset."

Platt described compost as "black gold" and that it is a valuable soil conditioner that improves plant growth, prevents soil erosion and reduces reliance on fertilizer.

Also on hand at Monday's ceremony was David Costello, deputy secretary of Maryland's Department of the Environment. He called the county's composting efforts a tipping point type of activity that could have statewide effects.

"Twenty years from now we'll have hundreds of these locations across the state," said Costello. "We obviously need county and local jurisdictions taking the lead."

Like recycling cans and cardboard, officials gathered at the event said the effectiveness of the program will depend on changing the culture. Right now, it's commonplace for people not to think twice when throwing away banana peels or apple cores, but those are the kind of items that people should think to recycle, according to Irvin.

"The key is getting the container in the kitchen," said Irvin, who added that if the expansion of this program is successful they will continue to expand.

"Theoretically we can build a facility that serves the entire county," said Irvin. "We have to see how things go."

The Alpha Ridge facilty cost $800,000 to construct, according to a county statement. It will cost $38.50 per ton to process food scraps and yard trim at Alpha Ridge, selling the end-product, compared to $41.50 to transport trash out-of-state, according to the statement.

Compostable Items Include:

  • Bread, pasta, rice and grains
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Pizza boxes
  • Nuts, Beans and seeds
  • Paper catons and paper bags
  • Uncoated paper plates
  • Cakes and pies
  • Egg shells
  • Shredded paper
  • Paper towels, napkins
  • Coffee grounds, filters, tea bags


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