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

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** food waste is a significant component of the solid waste stream in westchester county making IT a management challenge that requires a multifaceted approach. In recent years DEF has researched and participated in studies to continue to take steps to remove food waste from the solid waste stream and turn IT into a resource through composting. DEF believes that recovering food scraps from the waste stream not only results in a valuable resource- compost- but can support the environment by composting locally and reducing transportation and processing emissions.westchester county currently supports a food scrap collection program (RFSTAD) and a small scale compost site for education outreach (COMPOSTED). COMPOSTED serves the dual purpose of working with food pantries to collect inedible food scraps for free process the inedible food into compost and then distribute the compost to community gardens who in turn grow food to feed those in need. Westchester county plans to expand these programs by hiring a new staff person to support the programs and purchasing a new box truck to increase current collection and distribution efficiencies.a one-time infusion of federal funds will provide a timely boost to COMPOSTED's current impact. More food scraps will be collected from food pantries more compost will be distributed to community gardens and more educational tours and compost can be provided to the public teaching the importance of keeping food scraps out of the garbage. All the while COMPOSTED will continue to support community efforts to feeding those in need by providing food scrap collections to food pantries and compost to community gardens and farms growing food for donation.food scrap recycling is at a critical juncture in westchester county as DEF has begun to budget research and design a 10000-ton food waste/20000-ton yard waste composting facility with a planned completion of 2-3 years. COMPOSTED with its proven track record presents an opportunity to play a critical role in increasing public awareness of food scrap recycling and increasing residential participation in existing food scrap recycling efforts (RFSTAD) prior to the opening of the new facility that will have a significant impact on diverting food scraps from being processed as garbage.