A new food scrap recycling pilot program for residents is open and operational in Wilton as of Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Town of Wilton Transfer Station (71 Mather St.). The pilot program is sponsored by the Town of Wilton with support from Wilton Go Green and the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA).

The program launch supports a state-wide legislative priority recently proposed by Gove. Ned Lamont to help accelerate organics reuse and divert 185,000 tons per year of food waste from the municipal solid waste stream by 2030. 

The legislation was a necessary step to address a state-wide waste crisis. Waste facility closings and aging incinerators have increasingly put pressure on the state and municipalities to introduce fiscally responsible and sustainable practices to become “self-sufficient” in waste management and divert waste away from out-of-state landfills. 

According to Wilton Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker, keeping food out of the trash is by far one of the most impactful ways to reduce overall waste. 

“With the closing of the [CT Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority] MIRA facility, Gov. Lamont introduced legislation to reduce the amount of municipal solid waste going into systems that were not viable for the long term. He is introducing the environmental opportunities of food collection and enhanced producer responsibility programs to lessen the landfill burden. Those two initiatives can yield the most results in reducing the waste problem that we have in our region, state and country. It’s great to be a part of this pilot program partnering with Wilton Go Green and HRRA. Our efforts today will support a sustainable green model for the future.”

Wilton Go Green, a local nonprofit, is supporting the Town’s efforts in disseminating information and distributing program starter kits.

Wilton Go Green’s President Tammy Thornton said Wilton Go Green was pleased to partner with the Town of Wilton and HRRA to provide the service to residents.

“This program represents a huge leap in keeping food scraps out of our municipal trash and returning food back to the soil where it belongs. With the Town of Wilton and HRRA, Wilton Go Green will be visible in the community and promote the program to ensure our residents take full advantage of this opportunity,” Thornton said.

Thornton thanked several town officials for making the program possible and available to residents, including Knickerbocker, Department of Public Works Director Frank Smeriglio and Administrative Manager Jen Fascitelli. She also highlighted the work of Town Clerk Lori Kaback for helping sell starter kits through her office as well as the DPW crew that manages the program and provides daily resources at the town’s Transfer Station.

What Happens When We Trash Our Food?

The largest reduction in food waste starts right at home. American households account for 39% of food thrown away — more than restaurants, grocery stores or farms, according to ReFED. It’s no wonder food waste is by far the largest single item dumped in landfills generating toxic pollutants equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants annually.

Trashed food waste does not decompose. Instead, discarded food is heavier to haul than regular trash and requires more fragile resources like water to break it down. Wilton trash is transported to one of the few remaining Connecticut incinerators in Bridgeport. Because of its solid weight, food waste takes more time and energy to burn. The result — more toxic chemicals emitted into the atmosphere and compromised air quality for nearby communities as well as more greenhouse gases for the planet to digest. 

But there’s a far simpler and greener solution to the burden food waste puts on the community and the planet — small steps with purchasing, preserving and discarding food that can have a meaningful impact for environmental sustainability. Through composting or a food scrap program, energy is no longer used to burn food and harmful methane is reduced in landfills. Instead, food nutrients in the form of composted soil are returned back to the earth contributing to clean land, water and air. Practically speaking, food waste diversion means less bags of trash and less odors in garbage bins from rotting food. 

Participating in Wilton’s pilot program is an opportunity to think twice before tossing leftovers and expired food in the garbage. New Canaan, Ridgefield, Greenwich, Norwalk, Newtown, Redding, New Fairfield, Bridgewater, Darien and Stamford all have successful municipal drop-off food scrap programs in place. Darien, for example, has diverted 120 tons of food waste since 2018. This year alone, the town is averaging one ton of food scraps per week. 

How To Start Diverting Food Waste in Wilton to Feed the Planet

  1. Download Wilton’s How to Drop Off Guide on diverting food waste.
  2. The program is free for all Wilton residents; however, a car sticker is required to access the drop-off area at Wilton’s Transfer Station. Stickers are free and can be obtained by filling out an online form and bringing it to the Town Clerk’s office along with a copy of a vehicle registration. 
  3. Alternatively, sticker registration is accessible for anyone who chooses to purchase a $20 food scrap starter kit with a credit card online. Starter kits include a 1.5-gallon countertop kitchen bin, a roll of 25 BPI-certified compostable bags, and a six-gallon Eco-Caddy with a lock lid for travel. A starter kit is not necessary to participate in the program. Individuals are welcome to use their own containers to collect waste. If participants choose to collect scraps in a bag, it must be certified BPI. Biodegradable Products Institute certifies that a particular item is truly compostable in a commercial facility as well as free of any “forever chemicals” such as PFAS that could contaminate the finished compost. If you are looking to purchase compostable bags at a local grocery store or online, look for the symbol to the right or writing that states the item is “BPI-certified compostable.” Brands including “If You Care” makes BPI-certified compostable bags available at Village Market and Caraluzzi’s.
  4. Become familiar with a list of acceptable food items and place them in a BPI bag, starter kit or container. 
  5. Drop off food scraps in the designated food scrap recycling totes at the Wilton Transfer Station located at 71 Mather St. With the implementation of the program, the Transfer Station will now be open five days a week Monday-Thursday from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
  6. Residents participating in the program will be able to pick up complimentary organic compost in the spring at the Wilton Transfer Station (two five-gallon buckets per participant while supplies last). Details will be announced at a later date. 
  7. Once at the Transfer Station, food scraps are picked up weekly by Blue Earth Compost and delivered to Quantum Biopower, an anaerobic digester in Southington. This process captures the methane produced to create renewable energy while also making compost.
  8. Interested in learning more about backyard composting? Wilton Go Green has great resources on how to reduce food waste and how to backyard compost on their Solvable Problem of Food Waste webpage. 

For more questions on Wilton’s Food Scrap Recycling Pilot Program, contact The Town of Wilton Department of Public Works at 203.563.0152.