New Program in Barrington diverts 10 Tons of food waste from landfill - Residents can still sign up for curbside compost program
By Josh Bickford - EastBay RI news
More than 300 residents have registered for the new curbside compost pick-up program in Barrington.
According to an official with the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District, there are currently 309 residents signed up for the curbside composting program that is a joint effort of the Town of Barrington, the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District, Black Earth Compost, and 11th Hour Racing.
Stella Piasecki, who serves as the compost program coordinator and community garden coordinator, said that the program is already yielding impressive benefits for residents and the environment.
“…I can tell you that since the program began, Barrington composters have diverted over 10 tons of food waste from going to the landfill,” Piasecki wrote in a message to the Barrington Times.
Piasecki will present additional information about the curbside compost program (weight of trash diverted from the landfill, tipping fee savings, etc.) during the Barrington Town Council meeting on Jan. 5.
The Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District worked with Barrington to bring Black Earth Compost curbside pickup service to local residents; the Barrington Town Council approved funding to help subsidize the curbside composting program. The first 500 Barrington residents who sign up for the program receive a discount rate for the compost pickup service.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on the state’s landfill. According to Piasecki, the Central Landfill in Johnston is expected to close in 2046. Piasecki added that it is unlikely any other Rhode Island town will be willing to host a new landfill… “so it’s likely that Rhode Island will have to ship all of our trash out of state to the surrounding states' landfills.”
Piasecki wrote Connecticut does not have any active landfills — it burns 60 percent of its trash. Piasecki added that Connecticut spends approximately $94 million each year to ship the other 40 percent of its trash out of state to other landfills.
“If we are thinking about this in terms of Rhode Island, we could be looking at around $100 million a year in tax dollars to ship our trash out of state after our landfill reaches its capacity,” Piasecki wrote.
Composting reduces the total amount of trash produced each year.
“How this ties in with our compost program is that around 30-35 percent of all waste that goes to the landfill is food waste, which is compostable,” Piasecki wrote. “In terms of volume, Rhode Island sends about 70,000 tons of food waste to the landfill each year. Therefore, composting in the household is a really good way to save our tax dollars in the long run because if we can extend the life of our landfill by even five years, it would save Rhode Island taxpayers upwards of $500 million in tax dollars.”
Any residents interested in signing up for the curbside composting program should visit https://blackearthcompost.com/barrington/
