In an effort to reduce waste going to the county landfill and incinerator, the Media Borough is considering expanding the current recycling program to include a food scrap collection program. With a food scrap collection program you would be able to separate food from the rest of your trash, and have it collected for composting at a local compost farm.
Media Borough currently has a high rate of recycling participation (estimated at 70%), with close to 30% of residential solid waste diverted from the land fill and incinerator. Adding a food scrap collection program could reduce household waste by another 30%.
The Borough has launched a survey is to gauge the interest of Media Borough residents in such a program. Survey takers will have the opportunity to be part of a composting pilot program. Links to the survey are posted on the Borough website, www.mediaborough.com as well as the Borough Facebook and Twitter feed.
What are the benefits of composting?
- Composting reduces waste. Composting food scraps can reduce the amount of household waste by up to 30%.
- Composting reduces greenhouse gases. Composting keeps food scraps out of the incinerator, decreasing pollution and the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas 310 times more powerful in atmospheric warming than carbon dioxide.
- Composting reduces energy consumption. The composting process requires fewer work-hours than incineration and no fuel deliveries, further lowering greenhouse gases.
- Composting turns food waste into a valuable resource. When we compost food waste we create nutrient-rich fertilizer used by local farmers and gardeners. Instead of sending food waste to be burned in the solid waste incinerator, composting recycles nutrients and fiber back into the soil where it can support the growth of fresh new food for our tables.
A number of other Pennsylvania communities have either started a food scrap program or are now researching such a program. Please take the survey to help us determine if Media Borough should undertake a food scrap composting program. Thank you!
Web link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DV2DK7R
I used to live in Media Borough and live in Middletown Township now. I’m amazed at how little “trash” I have. I compost and recycle and I am very seldom throwing any trash away! It’s a very worth endeavor and I hope Media Borough will institute it!