Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste Composting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Compost pilot moves to private subscription; comprehensive plan survey opens for resident input
Summary
The town’s Black Earth compost pilot ends Sept. 30 and participants can convert to a private subscription; staff said about 700 households participated and the pilot diverted an estimated 170 tons of food waste. The comprehensive plan committee opened a public survey on draft goals and objectives at tinyurl.com/norwoodcp.
Town staff reported the Black Earth compost pilot will end on Sept. 30 and that participants will be offered private subscription rates that reflect volume pricing.
Staff said the pilot reached roughly 700 participating households to date and estimated the program would divert about 170 tons of food waste by the pilot’s end. Black Earth is offering a reduced per‑household rate to continuing customers; staff said roughly 238 of the 700 pilot households already had signed up for the private subscription rate and that increased participation could further reduce unit costs (staff said 400 households would trigger additional vendor discounts). Town staff said expanding the town‑funded program to the scale necessary to materially reduce municipal trash tonnage would be costly; Lexington’s municipal program was cited as an example where the town funds up to 4,000 households at roughly $400,000 per year.
Staff emphasized the environmental benefits of composting, but said that because the town’s fiscal situation is tight it is not appropriate to fund a large, town‑wide municipal compost program at this time. Residents can enroll directly with Black Earth at blackearthcompost.com; staff said the town will continue to promote composting options including the existing municipal drop‑off program.
Separately, the Comprehensive Plan Committee opened a public survey on draft goals and objectives. Staff directed residents to tinyurl.com/norwoodcp to review draft plan elements and provide ranked input; the committee will use public responses to refine the town’s 10‑year vision and priorities.
Why it matters: the pilot gave town staff experience and data about household composting rates and diversion; moving to private subscriptions keeps the service available to residents without a continuing municipal subsidy. The comprehensive plan outreach is a formal step toward updating long‑range planning priorities for land use, transportation, housing and public services.
No formal board vote was required; staff said the pilot ends on Sept. 30 and that private subscriptions are available immediately.
