Monroe County Executive Adam Bello's tentative 2025 budget would launch a trial program where school districts would receive grants for programs intended to keep food waste out of landfills.
His proposed budget includes $50,000 to fund the effort. Districts would have to develop new or expanded food waste diversion programs and apply for the matching grants, which would max out at $5,000 per district.
"We really want to understand how the mechanics of programs can work, particularly in a pilot setting where we can really study and analyze them," said Mike Garland, the county's Department of Environmental Services commissioner.
County legislators will vote on Bello's budget proposal in December. A public hearing on the plan is scheduled to begin at 5:35 p.m. Dec. 5.
The school district initiatives could take several forms. For example, one district might want to donate uneaten food to help feed people in need. Another might develop a composting program for food scraps.
"We certainly want to encourage creative thinking, and we know it's not a one-size-fits-all for school districts," Garland said. He added that county officials hope school districts engage not just students, but facilities and kitchen staff, too.
Education would be a primary focus of the effort, Garland said. As Department of Environmental Services staff has found through their recycling education efforts, students are a ready audience, he added.
"They bring that information back home," Garland said. "It's passed down from grade to grade."
Garland also said the project is in line with the second phase of the county's Climate Action Plan, which focuses on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions community-wide.
Food waste generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as it decomposes in landfills. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, food is the largest category of material sent to municipal landfills — it makes up about one-quarter of the waste but accounts for more than half of methane emissions from the facilities.
In Monroe County, an estimated 119,270 tons of food waste were generated in 2010, according to an analysis conducted as part of the county’s 2015 solid waste management plan. That's the most recent estimate available.
That's more than the weight of a military aircraft carrier, and it amounted to an estimated 16% of the county’s solid waste.
The county is also developing a plan to reduce organic waste such as food scraps and lawn clippings and divert it from landfills. As part of that process, the county will look at existing programs, policies, and regulations around those types of organic waste.
In a practical sense, the plan could lay the groundwork for things like food scrap recycling and composting programs or different approaches to keeping yard waste out of landfills.
The county is currently seeking feedback to guide the plan's development. It has launched three surveys: one for residents, one for farmers, and one for businesses. They can be found at monroecounty.gov/organics-management-plan.
