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Commission updates on tailgate recycling, food-waste pilots and county grant funding
Summary
The waste-management working group reported on expanded recycling at IU tailgates, pilot food-waste programs (Bokashi), festival composting work and a $20,000 grant fund from the Waste Reduction District of Monroe County to support similar projects.
The Bloomington Commission on Sustainability received a report from the waste-management working group on ongoing recycling and food-waste diversion pilots and new funding from the county waste reduction district.
Commissioner Matt Austin, who led the update, said Sustainable IU is piloting an expanded recycling program at football tailgates and is recruiting volunteers to serve as "waste ambassadors" to help divert recyclables and keep litter off the ground. "We're essentially trying to revamp and scale up our recycling waste diversion from the football games," Austin said.
GardenQuest and volunteers recovered about 150 pounds of food waste from the recent Taste of Bloomington, and GardenQuest coordinated composting at Will Detmer Community Gardens. Austin said Master Rental had agreed to donate equipment to add four more compost pits to increase capacity for event food waste.
The commission discussed Bokashi (a household-scale anaerobic composting method) pilots and training opportunities. A four-month trial program administered by the Waste Reduction District allows residents to try the system after attending training; one training was scheduled at the community orchard. Commissioners discussed framing future grant requests as "year 2" pilots to expand successful trials (for example, expanding food-waste collection at Taste of Bloomington).
Matt Austin also summarized sessions he attended at the Circular Indiana conference on extended producer responsibility (EPR), a model that makes producers responsible for end-of-life management of products. He said EPR principles could provide future local funding or partnership opportunities to cover costs currently borne by municipalities.
Commissioners noted the Waste Reduction District of Monroe County approved a $20,000 grant fund to support projects like these. The working group is exploring festival and farmers-market pilots, and is seeking partners and volunteer support to scale operations.
No formal action or vote on programs was taken at the meeting; commissioners asked staff and partners to continue outreach and to consider applying for future grant deadlines.
