Dive Brief:
- The Pitkin County Solid Waste Center announced a partnership with the city of Aspen, CO, local dining establishments, and commercial facilities that will serve to divert the volume of food waste discarded at landfills.
- In an attempt to reduce the waste, restaurant staff will be taught how to properly collect it, and each business in the program will receive a bear-proof bin.
- Cathy Hall, the solid waste manager of Pitkin County, said a study conducted in 2009 illustrated that 40% of waste streams were comprised of food scraps, and that 60% of that originated from restaurants.
Dive Insight:
The goals of the project are to create extra space in the landfill, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create high-quality compost. The county is hoping to slow the inevitability of the landfill reaching capacity, which will cause prices to increase exponentially. The county also plans to launch an app that will promote composting to children; the app features experiments and showcases the benefits of recycling in a “comic-book” style rendering.
Pitkin County is looking for ways to increase its sustainability practices throughout the area. In March, the Pitkin County landfill in Aspen explored the idea of constructing a growing-dome on the county landfill site. With the prospect of the landfill shuttering after it reaches capacity, groups are meeting to find solutions that will make new uses of the landfill once it's closed in about 25 years.
