A new program in Bexley aims to help eliminate food waste going to landfills and continue making the community more environmentally friendly.
The program will start with a one-year pilot run with a base of 200 to 300 households. Those interested in participating must have a petition filled out by at least 75 percent of residents on their block. If more than 200 to 300 households sign up for the program, eligible blocks will be chosen randomly.
Residents who participate in the pilot will receive a five-gallon, sealable container to put their food waste in. The city will collect and replace the bins each Monday and recycle the food waste into compost that can be used by farmers and gardeners.
At the end of the one-year program, pilot participants will receive a five-gallon container of compost to use in their personal garden.
Composting is the act of taking decomposed organic material and breaking it down into a rich soil called compost. Items such as meat, fruit and vegetable scraps, and paper towels are among many items that can be composted.
The program is free for residents, although it will cost the city a little over $6 per household each month.
This composting program is part of the city’s zero waste plan. Last year, the Bexley Green Team presented the plan and described it as “a long-term plan to divert waste from the landfill.”
In order to implement the plan and create change, the city has to take smaller steps toward being green. Bexley City Council approved the food waste program during their Sept. 26 meeting.
Bexley is no stranger to green initiatives, as they were the first community in central Ohio to recycle. This year, the city purchased renewable energy to power streetlights, traffic lights, and city-owned facilities.
