In 2010, the US Composting Council honored OCRRA as the Composting Program of the Year and the Solid Waste Association of North America honored OCRRA with a Silver Composting Systems Award in the Recycling and Special Waste Excellence division.

In 2011, the New York State DEC bestowed one of five Environmental Excellence Awards upon OCRRA's Food Waste Composting Program.

One of the many facets that helped OCRRA garner these awards is our innovative food waste diversion and composting program.

To view a slide show about the development, benefits and future of this program, click here.

 

Composting Food Waste

Did you know about 14% of Onondaga County’s waste stream is food waste?

Businesses and institutions can reduce the trash they have to pay to dispose of and create a valuable resource by diverting their food waste from the trash and sending it to OCRRA to be composted.

Benefits of Food Waste Diversion

• Reduces your trash volume, which reduces what you pay to dispose of through your hauler
• Costs less to dispose of food waste through OCRRA's Compost Program than it does to dispose of it as trash (about half as much)
• Produces a nutrient-rich resource called compost, which has many environmental benefits
• Lets your customers know you are an environmentally responsible establishment

How to Start Diverting Food Waste

Diverting or collecting food waste is easy. All you need to do is let your employees know what items are acceptable. Then place collection containers (pails) in the food preparation areas for employees to fill. Periodic reminders, whether through meetings or simply posting the list of acceptable items near the collection containers will help people remember what goes where.

Many local businesses are already reaping the benefits of food waste diversion and composting. For example, Syracuse University is composting food waste from their dining halls in order to achieve their sustainability goals. After just one semester of collection, SU diverted some 30 tons of food waste and they are still going strong!

Call OCRRA at 453-2866 or email info@ocrra.org and we'll help you set up a food waste collection program that works for your employees, customers and waste hauler.

 

Testing and Fees

OCRRA's compost is USCC STA certified, which means that all OCRRA compost is a high-quality material that will be consistent from batch to batch. The certification guarantees that it has been laboratory tested by a third party and meets all USCC, DEC and EPA criteria. To view current test results click here.

OCRRA’s composting process generates enough heat to make virtually weed, seed and plant born pathogen-free compost. Residents and businesses can use this nutrient rich material as a soil amendment or top-dressing for lawns and turf.

Interested in obtaining this high-quality compost in bulk? Click here to learn about bulk pricing.

 

OCRRA's Food Waste Composting Story

In March 2007, OCRRA began a pilot food waste composting project by collecting pre-consumer food wastes from the New York State Fair and other area zero waste events in the County.

In December 2008 OCRRA converted from windrow composting to extended aerated static pile composting to improve efficiency. OCRRA anticipates composting over 9,000 cubic yards of food waste per year by the year 2015.

What Happens to the Food Waste at OCRRA

Food waste is mixed at a 3 to 1 ratio with a bulking agent (yard waste and wood chips) and is placed into extended aerated static piles with piping and blowers. The pipes allow air to circulate through the piles and create optimal conditions for decomposition. After the food waste has decomposed and has met all of the temperature and monitoring requirements, the finished compost is screened for use as a soil amendment. This composting process is considered a form of waste recycling.

If you are interested in utilizing our USCC STA certified compost, it is available at both our Amboy and Jamesville Compost Sites with the purchase of a site pass or in bulk.