Derek Slap

Senator Slap Welcomes West Hartford Grant Supporting Food Scrap Collection Pilot Program

State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) welcomes the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s recent release of grant awards for the Sustainable Material Management Grant program, which supports the development of food scrap collection programs among municipalities. West Hartford will receive up to $106,200 in reimbursable grants to support a transfer station food scrap drop-off collection pilot program for nine months.

“Our state needs new approaches for waste management that address cost and environmental concerns,” said Sen. Slap. “This pilot program for composing and processing food scraps can reduce the cost of waste disposal while reducing amounts of actual waste created by residents. I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the program and hope it can be expanded if it is successful.”

According to DEEP, West Hartford will receive the grant funds, which will largely cover the costs of bags and material transportation, to support the food scrap drop-off program. About 700 households will participate in the program for nine months. They will receive green and orange trash bags, which will be provided to them by program leaders; green trash bags will be used for food scrap collection, with orange ones used for other trash. The pilot program will begin in or around March 2023.

The pilot program is likely modeled off a successful one launched by the City of Meriden earlier this year, where 1,000 households separated food and household waste for four months. The program was a success, as more than 13 tons of food scraps were diverted from traditional waste streams. Meriden households used two special bags during the pilot, one for food and the other for trash, a similar model to the one to be adopted in Deep River.

Connecticut studies show that up to 41% of what residents throw away is organic material that can be composted, converted or processed; food scraps represent 22% of residential trash alone. Food scraps are regularly thrown away and are heavy; removing them from the waste stream will reduce the cost of waste disposal, often paid for by weight.