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Sustainability board weighs residential composting pilot and local biodigester reuse
Summary
At its May 5 meeting, the Oshkosh City Sustainability Advisory Board discussed exploring residential compost collection, using a Dane County pilot (the Purple Cow) as a short-term host, and whether the idle University biodigester could serve as a local option; members requested further research including permitting, costs and community demand.
The Oshkosh City Sustainability Advisory Board on May 5 discussed pursuing a residential composting pilot and whether to route collected material to a Dane County pilot facility while studying local options such as the university biodigester.
Board member Lisa Moore raised a proposal to explore partnerships that would allow residents and small generators to bring compostable food waste to collection stations, with haulers delivering material to Dane County’s Purple Cow pilot site while Oshkosh evaluates local options.
The conversation centered on three practical issues: the logistics and cost of hauling food waste to Dane County, state permitting for composting operations, and the feasibility of restarting or repurposing the university biodigester. Brad Spannbauer, who discussed past operation of the local biodigester, said the unit had processed about 10,000 tons of organic material per year when it ran and that the facility’s infrastructure remains in place but would need to be recommissioned and inoculated to operate again.
Board members noted the Purple Cow program in Dane County currently has unused capacity and could accept Oshkosh material for a pilot. They also flagged regulatory complexity: city staff said the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requires permits and testing for any operation labeled as “composting,” which can add time and cost. Delaney (city staff) had provided an initial list of hauling companies and resources to compare pricing and service models.
Members discussed trade-offs between hauling distance and transportation emissions versus restarting a local biodigester that would reduce transport but require reactivation costs and operational planning. The board also discussed outreach and education needs: many residents do backyard composting, but practices vary and incorrect methods can create anaerobic conditions that generate methane.
No formal action was taken. The board directed staff and volunteers to form a working group to: 1) clarify the city’s options with staff (Emma, staff member); 2) request data from Winnebago County solid waste (Kelly Bridal was suggested as a contact); and 3) gather benchmark costs from haulers, estimate demand, and identify permitting steps needed if Oshkosh sought a local receiving site.
Board members said next steps should include inviting Winnebago County solid-waste staff to present usage and capacity data at a future meeting and checking whether existing tri-county partnerships (Outagamie/Winnebago/others) provide interim drop‑off options for residents. The discussion concluded with agreement to return the topic with research findings and potential pilot designs.
