Committee endorses scope for pilot composting drop-off program

Gail Larson, chair of the Municipal Services and Environmental Sustainability Committee, presented a proposed scope of work for a pilot composting program and asked staff to prepare a request for proposals from Northeast Ohio businesses to operate the pilot.

Larson read the proposal to the committee: “This pilot composting program calls for offering at no charge to the residents 2 drop off locations for food waste.” The scope she outlined included providing two four-bin drop-off corrals with signage and media kits, weekly bin service at both locations for one year, an online or phone sign-up option for participants, working with community relations on containers and compostable bags, monthly invoicing to the city from the contractor, and quarterly reporting of pounds of food waste collected.

Larson said the two sites would be one north of Mayfield Road and one south of Mayfield Road. Committee members and staff discussed outreach and partnerships; staff said the city’s communications department could announce the RFP in its e-news and share information with community partners including the library, and council members suggested approaching grocery stores such as Grocery Outlet for voluntary participation.

Committee staff indicated they will begin preparing an RFP and coordinate outreach; the pilot is intended to support a broader waste-diversion agenda and tie into a planned business-district recycling pilot. Larson requested that the chosen vendor invoice monthly and provide quarterly data to administration and council so the city can quantify landfill diversion during the pilot period.