TROY, N.Y. – The City of Troy issued a report upon the closeout of its pilot USDA compost program, “From the Ground Up,” showing that the program offset 50.5 tons of food scrap to become compost—roughly the weight of 33 Volkswagen Beetles. The food scraps collected through this program, with the participating 250 households spread throughout every one of Troy’s neighborhoods, would have ordinarily gone to waste in a landfill.
“As Troy strives to lead the region in sustainability, I am proud of the success of this program, which worked in each of Troy’s neighborhoods to divert food waste into valuable compost,” said Troy Mayor Wm. Patrick Madden. “I thank our partners at the USDA for the federal grant funding which made this program possible, as well as the Troy Recycling Department, our city workforce, and city residents who worked in concert to implement this program and make a profound impact through small, everyday changes.”
“In 2021, two weeks after I started working for the City of Troy, I wrote the grant application for a two-year curbside composting pilot program, and it has been my sincere pleasure to create and execute this program,” said Troy Recycling Specialist Naomi Pitkin. “Thank you to the many residents who participated in making this program the best it could be, and we hope to follow this program with an even better program soon.”
Residents who were a part of the pilot program could opt in for 20 pounds of free nutrient-rich compost per year through the program, which could be used in turn to grow more food.
The City of Troy will continue to support the diversion of local food scraps from waste collection. Participants may continue diverting their food scraps curbside with a paid subscription. If a paid subscription doesn’t feel accessible for your household, the City of Troy has also expanded its food scrap drop off at the Troy Resource Management Facility, formerly known as the Alamo. Any City of Troy resident may drop off food scraps at the Troy Resource Management Facility on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 AM to 1 PM.
The report may be read in full on the City of Troy’s website.
The City of Troy is actively seeking grant funding to reimagine a new citywide compost program.
Get the latest from our Recycling team at facebook.com/CleanupTroy. To learn more about the City of Troy’s Recycling Department, visit troyny.gov/recycling or dial (518) 279-7171.
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