Olmsted County ready to test option for dealing with food waste

May 3—ROCHESTER — Olmsted County plans to test whether residents are willing to take a few extra steps to

eliminate food waste

from the approximately 115,000 tons of trash collected each year.

With 21% of waste — or approximately 24,000 tons — made up of food scraps and other discarded once-edible items, a six-month pilot program will offer residents a chance to dispose of the organic waste separately.

"We want to see if people are willing to do it," said Sharon Schriever, regional programs manager for Olmsted County Environmental Resources.

The pilot follows a recent push to increase education on

options for reducing food waste,

which launched on Earth Day, April 22, 2024, and will continue throughout the summer.

Schriever said the six-month test, which will be restricted to residential waste, is expected to start on June 1 and will require participants to purchase a kit containing 2.5-gallon bags, which will be used to collect food waste and deliver it to a special bin near the county's recycling center. The fee, which helps cover program costs also provides access to the dedicated collection bin and a list of what is acceptable for food-scrap recycling.

To authorize the voluntary $25 fee to participate, Olmsted County commissioners will hold a public hearing during their meeting at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 7.

Commissioners voiced support of the proposal during a recent committee review, pointing to the potential to reduce wear and tear on the county's Waste-to-Energy facility, since the majority of food waste in comprised of water that takes extra effort to burn.

"The more we can get out of it, the better the operation we will have," Commissioner Dave Senjem said.

Schriever said many residents are likely to remain skeptical about the pilot project.

"People ask why people would pay extra when they can just put it in the garbage, but I have mentioned it at several presentations I have done recently and there are people who are very interested in it," she said.

Environmental Resources staff estimates around 150 people will participate in the test, but they are ready for more.

Commissioner Sheila Kiscaden said the initial effort will need to collect data beyond whether the first participants are willing to take extra steps to discard leftover food and scraps.

"It's a little difficult to prove public acceptance with just the early adopters," she said, pointing to the need to determine whether licensed haulers will have a role if the project expands.

"Obviously, if this goes well, people will not want to drive out to the waste-to-energy facility," she added. "They will want to be able to put it curbside."

Schriever said future curbside pick-up could be an option, but the county could also consider providing special bins throughout the community for easier access for food-waste disposal.

For the pilot, the waste in the county bin will be collected by Green RU, a Blairsburg, Iowa-based hauler already operating in Rochester. The waste is being delivered to an Iowa compost site, with county costs anticipated at up to $6,000, which includes mailings, signs and other work to raise awareness about the option.

Michael Cook, the county's associate director of Environmental Resources, said composting in Iowa isn't a longterm strategy, if the initial effort is deemed successful.

"We don't intend to send this to Iowa forever," he said, pointing to options for transporting the food waste to the metro area, as well as ongoing discussions about the potential for creating a composting site in Southeast Minnesota.

"This pilot is just an attempt to test the waters a little bit," he said, adding that technology and practices for handling food waste continue to emerge and be tested in other communities.

Ramsey and Washington counties recently implemented a food-scrap recycling program

with curbside pick-up, and Cook said such projects could help inform future decisions in Olmsted County.

"It will allow us to take the best course of action for our community," he said of the pilot program and planned future discussion as the county

prepares to build new facilities to handle a variety of waste and recycling.

Once the food-waste pilot starts, Schriever said participants will be able to purchase the 25-bag kits online or at the Olmsted County Environmental Resources Department, 2122 Campus Drive SE, Suite 200. The Recycling Center is also expected to have limited quantities available.

While the pilot and ability to drop off food waste is slated to start June 1, bag sales are likely to start in mid-May.