After collecting nearly 10,000 pounds of food waste in its first two months, town officials are already looking at expanding its new food scrap collection program. The program, which launched on Earth Day, saw residents divert 9,025 pounds of food from the trash stream in May and June by bringing their food scraps to one of four drop off locations in town rather than putting it in their garbage cans at home.
John Phillips, the director of public works, said at last week’s Public Works, Facilities and Sustainability Committee meeting that a grant they’ve submitted to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection would allow the town to more than double the number of drop off locations that residents can utilize.
Currently, residents can bring their food waste to the town hall, Eisenhower Park, Norfeldt Field and the town’s yard waste and recycling center for drop off by using the MetroKEY app to unlock the containers. As of the end of July the town said that 736 residents had signed up for that app, with 60% of those being active users.