POTSDAM – Food waste makes up a significant share of the local waste stream and in landfills it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas, while also wasting valuable resources that could be returned to the soil, said a press release from the village planning department. 

To address this challenge, the Village of Potsdam is launching a food scraps collection pilot program designed to divert organic waste from landfills and transform it into compost, a healthy soil amendment, for use on local gardens and farms. 

The Potsdam Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Task Force has been awarded a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for this initiative.

The pilot program will collect household food scraps and transport them to Whitten Family Farm, a local farm and community-scale composting operation, where the material will be composted, supporting local agriculture while reducing waste. 

The pilot is designed to serve approximately 120 households, two apartment complexes, and the Potsdam Public School District. 

Recruiting these entities to participate is currently underway. 

Grant funds will support the purchase of household food scrap collection bins, as well as bins, totes and storage sheds for larger residential and institutional collection sites. 

A concurrent outreach and education campaign, spearheaded by ANCA’s Compost for Good program and supported by CSC volunteers, will promote the program and increase awareness of the need to transition to sustainable management of wasted food.  

Participating households will receive a one-gallon countertop bin for kitchen collection and a five-gallon outdoor bucket for pickup. 

Buckets will be collected weekly and exchanged for clean containers. 

The program will operate at a highly subsidized rate of $6 per month per household during the one-year pilot period.

“According to the EPA, between 30-40% of the food supply in the United States is wasted each year, much of it ending up in landfills,” said Susan Powers, Clarkson’s CSC representative who is supporting the project. “This represents not only lost food, but also the wasted water, land, fertilizer, and energy used to produce it. Programs like this give us an opportunity to reduce environmental impacts while building healthier soils and communities.”  

This project advances Potsdam’s Bronze certification as a Climate Smart Community by reducing the volume of organic waste sent to landfills. 

A waste characterization study by the Development Authority of the North Country found that approximately 21% of the region’s waste stream is composed of wasted food. 

The same material can instead be used to increase access to edible food, offset farm costs, and to generate a rich amendment for depleted soils. 

“This pilot program represents a major step forward in the Village of Potsdam’s commitment to sustainability and building a resilient community, and we are grateful for the grant support that will make this possible,” said Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke. “By empowering residents and our school system to divert food waste from landfills, we can provide a tangible way for people to make an impact, starting right at home.” 

Learn more and register to participate at https://compostcatalyst.my.canva.site/potsdam-food-scrap-website.  Collection services are scheduled to begin in August.

Funding for this initiative is provided through the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.