The new Traverse City composting program, which is a public-private partnership with community composter Carter鈥檚 Compost, is getting favorable reviews from neighbors near the composting facility. Since August 2024, the program has processed over 30,000 pounds of food scraps in the new composting system, with food waste collected from over 100 homes and businesses, according to Megan Alexander, owner of Carter鈥檚 Compost, who operates the City鈥檚 composting system.
鈥淭his is a new system for us and there has been a learning curve, particularly over the winter, but overall things are going well,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really grateful for supportive neighbors and partners, and I鈥檓 glad the City’s composting system is easy to manage without creating any nuisance to the neighborhood.鈥�
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 noticed any odors or pests,鈥� said Melissa A. McKenna, Assistant Director at the Traverse Area District Library. 聽鈥淲e鈥檙e directly across the street from the composter and nobody even notices that it鈥檚 there.鈥�
Since the autumn of 2024, Carter鈥檚 Compost has been operating an expanded food waste collection and composting program in partnership with the city. The Earth Flow 鈥渋n vessel鈥� composting system is being used to convert food waste into compost, at their Railroad Avenue location, directly across the street from the Traverse Area District Library in close proximity to many businesses and public spaces.
The new partnership with the city is a major step forwards for Carter鈥檚 Compost, which began in 2015 as a bicycle-powered food waste collection program started by an 8 year old. 鈥淲ith Traverse City being an area that is environmentally minded, this is a community that supports recapture of food waste or recyclable waste in this way,鈥� said McKenna. 鈥淚 think this is something that fills a need.鈥�
The composting system is fully enclosed with a that should prevent any negative impact on the neighborhood. So far people from many neighboring businesses have positive things to say about the program.
The new composting system is a significant upgrade in terms of processing capacity and odor control compared to the simple bin system used before. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 awesome,” said Dustin Martens, who works at a bike shop in the neighborhood. “I’ve heard Carter’s Compost has been doing great things with the composting program. I haven鈥檛 noticed any problems or heard any complaints about any odors or anything.鈥�
The new composting program collects food waste from several area businesses and residents, and has capacity to process up to 200 tons of material per year in the Earth Flow system. The project was made possible with the help of a grant from the United States Department Of Agriculture, and with the help of partners like Ecology and Education Centers in Traverse City.
鈥淲e were working with another composting operation to recycle our paper towels but then they stopped taking our materials. So it was great timing for Carter’s Compost and we鈥檙e really glad they鈥檙e doing this,鈥� said Nick Olson, owner of ELEV8 Climbing & Fitness, directly across the street from Carter鈥檚 Compost. 鈥淭he composting system is also a great educational resource. We host camps for kids in the summer with a community garden trip, which will now include a visit to the Earth Flow.鈥�
Olson says he hasn鈥檛 noticed any odors or other problems in the neighborhood. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 noticed anything. We’re there seven days a week and haven’t noticed any negatives at all.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 really glad to hear things are going well,鈥� said Van Calvez, Engineer from , the provider of the Earth Flow system. 鈥淭his is really a perfect application of the Earth Flow, to help a community composting program take the next step toward a full fledged municipal composting program. The partnership between Carter鈥檚 Compost, Traverse City and SEEDS is really an awesome model that communities everywhere could replicate.鈥�