Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the state of connecticut is…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the state of connecticut is facing a waste crisis. We produce more waste than our existing infrastructure can handle. According to the CT department of energy and environmental protection, CT residents dispose of almost 2.4 million tons of trash each year, most of which is incinerated or hauled to landfills out of state. This is an expensive, unsustainable, and environmentally unfriendly solution. Organic, compostable materials such as food scraps, paper and yard debris make up approximately 40% of a CT household's waste. These organic materials should be diverted out of the waste stream to be recycled as compost, a nutrient-rich soil amendment and fertilizer alternative for farmers and gardeners. While many residents in our towns compost at home, IT ISN't enough to solve the state's crisis. CT needs local infrastructure and support for large-scale, regional organics diversion and composting. The southeastern CT regional resources recovery authority (scrrra) manages about 130,000 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) per year for our 12 member municipalities in new london county, mainly through incineration. There is currently no infrastructure in place for organics diversion. Scrrra now proposes to construct and operate southeastern connecticut's first and only commercial-scale food waste composting facility, creating the necessary infrastructure to divert the region's organic material from the MSW stream, generate a local source of high-quality compost, and increase awareness of the importance of food waste reduction and recycling. The facility will be located on approximately six acres of land in preston, CT and will utilize an innovative hybrid compost system, combining aerated static pile (ASP) processing with open windrows for a cost-effective solution. Our compost will be sold at market prices and will benefit our local farmers and gardeners, who currently source their fertilizers and compost from at least 75 miles away. A portion will be designated for our region's disadvantaged communities, as requested and at a reduced price, to be used for community gardens and beautification projects. The feedstocks for our compost will be sourced locally (an estimated 50,000 tons of compostable material annually). Scrrra's 12 municipal transfer stations have an abundance of yard trimmings and wood waste which scrrra will grind for use in the facility. Food scraps will be collected at each of the transfer stations, and we plan to collaborate with experienced organics haulers like black earth compost (gloucester, MA) and blue earth compost (hartford, CT) to provide curbside pickup to residents of our member towns. We expect local businesses, schools, hospitals, etc. Will also use the facility. Our project aligns well with the purpose and priorities of the cfwr program, as IT aims to create awareness and infrastructure for large-scale food waste reduction, organics diversion, and composting in our historically disadvantaged 12-tow, n region, where no infrastructure currently exists. Any funds awarded through this grant opportunity will be used to offset the costs of equipment and construction of the facility. The scrrra composting facility will be the first and only of its kind in our region and will transform the local solid waste infrastructure, allowing our member towns to manage materials in a hyper-local circular economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create cleaner and healthier communities.