Residents of Rochester now have a convenient way to divert food waste from the landfill and into compost. The city, in partnership with My Green Michigan, recently launched a food scraps recycling program, allowing Rochester residents to collect food scraps at home and drop them off in one of the three green bins available at the Rochester Department of Public Works, 1141 North Wilcox.
My Green Michigan, a large-scale organics recycling company, will empty the collection bins weekly and process the material into nutrient-rich compost for local farms and gardens. Nationally, food waste is estimated to make up to 40% of the food supply and is the single largest material filling U.S. landfills, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tackling food waste presents a critical opportunity to address climate change by reducing methane emissions. The food scrap recycling program gives residents a simple, no-cost way to make a real difference in the environment, Harper said, because composting food scraps reduces emissions while producing a beneficial soil product.