North Michigan News

The City of Traverse City has announced the launch of its Compost and Food Waste Reduction project, funded by a $255,396 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for September 19th at 3:30 PM at the Department of Public Services (DPS) facility on Woodmere Avenue.

This project aims to enhance the City's composting operations and expand access to organic material pickups for residents and businesses. A key feature is a new 20-yard in-vessel composting unit at the DPS facility, capable of processing nearly 150 tons of food waste annually. This system ensures efficient, odor-controlled decomposition suitable for urban environments.

“This pilot program aims to strengthen the City’s current composting efforts and build awareness to grow a successful food composting system,” said Frank Dituri, DPS Director. “The high-quality compost produced will significantly benefit our City parks while also helping to reduce emissions.”

Since receiving the USDA grant in 2023, Traverse City has partnered with SEEDS Ecology & Education Centers to manage the project. SEEDS is a local non-profit focused on habitat regeneration, carbon emission prevention, green industry talent development, and investing in future generations.

“We are thrilled to launch this program and expand our efforts toward achieving our sustainability goals,” said Mayor Amy Shamroe. “Through our collaboration with SEEDS, we hope to inspire future composting initiatives within the community.”

"We are beyond thrilled to continue a long tradition of working with Traverse City toward their climate action goals," stated Sarna Salzman, Executive Director SEEDS. "This pilot project not only prevents greenhouse gas emissions but serves as a visible catalyst that will inspire additional action."

The City's existing composting program includes curbside seasonal leaf pickup and annual brush pickup. The new initiative will enhance this program by partnering with Carter’s Compost as the hauling contractor for food waste pickup for select residents and businesses. The finished compost will be used by the City for public lands, parks, and green spaces; any surplus will go to community gardens.

City Manager Liz Vogel commented on the strong demand within the community for including food waste in recycling options: “I’m incredibly proud of the efforts our City staff has put into advancing a more sustainable future.”

The pilot program aims to create awareness about organic material pickups while contributing to Traverse City's Carbon Neutral Target by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At full capacity, it is expected that this small pilot system will prevent emissions equivalent to removing twelve internal combustion engine cars from the road annually.

The public and media are invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony where they can see a demonstration of the in-vessel unit and learn more about how this program benefits both community and environment.

Event Details:

Date: September 19, 2024

Time: 3:30 pm

Location: 625 Woodmere Avenue