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Raleigh staff propose pilot at Yard Waste Center to test food-waste composting options
Summary
City staff presented a feasibility study showing food waste composes roughly a quarter of Raleigh's landfill inputs and recommended a small pilot at the Yard Waste Center to test collection and processing options before any large capital investment.
Gregory Jenkins II, interim director of Solid Waste Services, told the City Council the city began a formal feasibility assessment in 2024 to study adding food-waste composting to Raleigh's solid-waste operations.
The study found the city's landfill accepts over 99,000 tons a year and that "nearly 25% of the waste is food waste, and that's based off of information from Wake County and the EPA," Jenkins said. Staff estimated a conservative annual diversion of about 6% of food waste could extend landfill life and provide financial and environmental co-benefits.
Jenkins described two operational needs for composting: collection (how waste moves from residences or public sites to processing) and processing (where and how food waste is treated). He identified the city's Yard Waste Center as a likely local processing site but said the facility would need permit modifications and site improvements; staff recommended starting with a small pilot before committing to larger upgrades or capital outlays.
The study reported current regional processing capacity is limited. Jenkins noted several local processors accept food waste only at limited capacity, NC State processes university-related volumes only, and many local haulers transport material about an hour to Brooks (Goldston) for processing. He said a Yard Waste Center pilot would allow staff to test quantities, mix recipes and final product quality and that the center's current permit would allow a short-term pilot.
Council members generally supported testing limited, lower-cost options before a full program. "That's 25,000 tons per year. It's crazy," Councilor Harrison said, describing the scale of food waste the study attributed to the landfill. Several councilors favored a hybrid approach that pairs multiple drop-off sites with third-party curbside subscription options rather than immediately adding city-run curbside collection.
Councilor Silver asked where any compost from a pilot would go; Jenkins answered the city would probably use compost internally in parks and community gardens during the pilot because the city does not yet know production volumes. Councilors also raised operational concerns about contamination, labor intensity and neighborhood proximity to composting operations; Jenkins said the pilot would help quantify those risks.
Council discussion produced no formal vote. Councilors asked staff to return with more detailed cost estimates, a pilot design, and information on permitting and site upgrades for the Yard Waste Center before the city commits to larger collection or processing investments. Staff also was directed to compare regional case studies and coordinate with existing third-party collectors in Wake County.
