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Oshkosh sustainability board explores residential composting pilot and local biodigester options
Summary
At its May 5 meeting the Oshkosh City Sustainability Advisory Board discussed pursuing a residential composting pilot, possible use of Dane County's "Purple Cow" pilot facility, and whether the dormant UW Oshkosh biodigester could serve as a local receiving site.
The Oshkosh City Sustainability Advisory Board on May 5 discussed starting a residential composting pilot, including options to haul food scraps to a Dane County pilot facility or to pursue a local solution using the dormant biodigester at the university.
Lisa Moore, a board member, described a Dane County program that uses a "Purple Cow" composting site and neighborhood collection stations; local commercial haulers pick up material and bring it to the Purple Cow site. "Right now, they have capacity for more composting," Moore said, and she asked whether Oshkosh and Winnebago County should investigate collaborating or creating a local receiving operation.
Board members and staff said next steps should include clarifying whether the city would support a pilot, forming a small working group to research logistics and costs, and inviting county solid-waste staff to present data. Brad Spanbauer said the university biodigester remains intact but inactive and would need to be re-inoculated and re-commissioned to take food waste again. "The facility still exists. It is cleaned out," Spanbauer said, adding that when it last ran at full capacity it processed about 10,000 tons of organic material annually and produced the equivalent of roughly 7% to 8% of the university's electricity, offsetting about $100,000 in electricity costs each year.
Board members discussed trade-offs between shipping material to Dane County and restarting a local facility. Several members said transport costs to Dane County could be prohibitive for a large program, and others urged starting with smaller pilots and local education on correct backyard composting techniques so residents do not create anaerobic conditions that produce methane.
Emma, the board staff contact, said the city should be consulted early to determine what activities the board can carry out directly and what would require city or county involvement. Board members suggested inviting Winnebago County solid-waste staff and a county representative who handled a previous home-composting discount program to a future meeting.
The board also discussed existing options for Oshkosh and Winnebago County residents, including an Outagamie County drop-off and Tri-County arrangements. Members recommended gathering county-level data on current landfill/dumpster flows, commercial food-waste streams, and community demand before advancing a pilot.
Moore and others emphasized that a local option could keep compost products in the community for soil improvement and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions compared with landfilling. No formal motion or commitment was made; the board directed staff to pursue invitations and background research and to return with recommendations at a future meeting.
