Following a successful 2020 City of Annapolis/Annapolis Green pumpkin composting partnership at Truxtun Park where more than 10,000 pounds of pumpkins were collected, the City is expanding the program with Annapolis Compost and other partners to include a six-month pilot composting project.
Last fall’s pumpkin composting program was successful at not only keeping everyone’s favorite fall decoration out of landfills but returning nature’s bounty in the form of nutrient-rich compost for area farmers. Now, the City will kick-off two six-month pilot programs to collect kitchen scraps and other compostables from City residents: one is a curbside collection program in the Hunt Meadow neighborhood, which is free to residents who sign up; the second is a compost drop-off site at Truxtun Park.
“Our goal is to make composting as easy as possible,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley. “We want to see if curbside pickup will help people make composting a habit. For interested residents, the drop-off site will help residents make a commitment to reducing waste.”
CURBSIDE COMPOST COLLECTION: The pilot weekly curbside collection program in Hunt Meadow will run between October 2021 and March 2022. The program is free, but residents must request collection by signing up and receiving a free compost bin at annapoliscompost.com/hunt-meadow.
COMPOST DROP-OFF: During the same period, City residents from all Annapolis neighborhoods may drop off kitchen scraps in specially marked bins at Truxtun Park, near the skateboard area located at 300 Park Road. Veteran Compost will make the weekly pickups. The Truxtun Park project is being executed by nonprofit Annapolis Green with funding from a Clean Up & Green Up Maryland grant from Keep Maryland Beautiful, the Forever Maryland Foundation, Maryland Environmental Trust, and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
Scraps from both programs will be composted directly with local farmers and used to restore their soils. Information gathered during the six-month pilot will inform future composting decisions by the City.
“We are delighted to bring the City in as a partner in the execution of our grant,” said Elvia Thompson, Annapolis Green President and Co-founder. “This is not only a great way to keep these materials out of the landfill but also serves to bring people closer to the environment.”
Accepted compost material includes:
- Food waste and kitchen scraps
- Bones and shellfish
- Meat
- Dairy products and eggshells
- Coffee grounds, loose and bagged tea
- Napkins and paper towels and pizza boxes
- Compostable plates, cups, and cutlery
Items NOT accepted as compost material:
- Plastic of any kind including plastic bags
- Foil
- Metal
- Glass
- Yard waste
- Pet waste
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that food waste accounts for more than 21 percent of waste sent to landfills each year. The Maryland Department of the Environment notes that more than 900,000 tons of food waste is generated by homes and businesses each year and very little of that is composted.
“These projects help green up our City” said Department of Public Works Director Michael Johnson. “Just like we did with recycling programs a few decades ago, we started with a project that helped people understand and make a habit of recycling. We hope this program shows people the convenience and benefit of composting.”
