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Leesburg compost depot draws demand; staff and council consider curbside pilot
Summary
Town staff reported the public compost depot fills weekly and that a pilot curbside compost collection — modeled on Alexandria’s subsidized program — is under informal consideration pending discussion of town subsidy levels and service logistics.
Town staff told the Environmental Advisory Commission that Leesburg’s public compost depot is popular and often fills between scheduled pickups, prompting conversation about expanding organics collection.
Staff said the depot at the Liberty Lot routinely fills and the contracted organics hauler is expanding service to meet demand; the hauler cleans out the depot on a revised collection schedule. The deputy town manager, Kate Trask, asked whether the town could pilot a curbside compost program similar to Alexandria’s model, in which residents pay a subsidized monthly fee (Alexandria’s model cited in discussion was $5 per month or $55 per year when subsidized by the city).
Why it matters: curbside composting would increase diversion of food and yard waste from the waste stream and could reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from landfill disposal if there is resident uptake and an economically viable service model.
Staff described two options under active discussion: (1) maintaining the popular depot and expanding outreach and (2) exploring a subsidized curbside subscription pilot that would require negotiation with the town about the desired level of subsidy and with a service provider about routes and equipment.
Staff cautioned that curbside service costs vary and that some residents will prefer the free depot model, especially small households for whom subscription fees can be relatively expensive. Staff said the provider used by the town finds local name recognition helpful to expand its service area.
Ending: Staff said they will pursue more information on costs and subsidy options and report back; commission members expressed interest in pursuing a pilot if budget and logistics can be worked out.
