Sanford commission hears pitch for citywide composting pilot from O Towne Compost

Charlie Paoli, founder of O Towne Compost, told the Sanford City Commission work session on April 28 that a citywide curbside composting pilot could divert large volumes of organic waste from the Seminole County landfill, lower long-term disposal costs and create local soil-amendment products for farmers.

Paoli said O Towne currently serves several residential and commercial clients and has composted more than 7.5 million pounds in Central Florida. “If it grows, it goes,” he said, describing the program’s simple public message and noting the environmental advantage: organic waste at landfills produces methane “which is 80 times more potent of greenhouse gas than CO2.”

The presentation outlined a residential subscription model using a five-gallon bucket and compostable liners, regular curbside pickup, a customer portal to track pounds diverted, and options for collecting hard-to-recycle items. Paoli estimated per-household costs would fall as route density rises and said a threshold of roughly 1,000 participating households would support cheaper service; he described a baseline residential price near $7.50 per week in high-density routing scenarios.

Commissioners and staff asked practical questions about contamination, pest control and integration with Sanford’s existing contract with Waste Pro. Paoli said composting systems accept meat, dairy, coffee grounds and dirty paper products when managed at commercial scale and that piles reach temperatures “over 140 degrees Fahrenheit” to kill pathogens and weed seeds.

City staff flagged procurement and implementation issues. A staff member advised convening Emily McCabe, the city’s solid waste contract administrator, Brent Johnson and Waste Pro — Sanford’s franchise hauler — to discuss logistics and whether a pilot should be city-sponsored or privately offered with city promotion. The commission signaled support: Commissioner Austin said “That sounds good to me, sir,” when staff proposed facilitating those conversations.

The commission did not adopt a contract or appropriate funds at the meeting; instead it directed staff to explore next steps and report back. Staff recommended that any future proposal clarify procurement approach, pilot neighborhoods, cost-share options and potential coordination with franchise services.

Paoli also suggested pairing a compost pilot with a “pay-as-you-throw” trash billing model used in cities such as Gainesville, where households can choose smaller carts and pay less for disposal. He cautioned that pay-as-you-throw programs require careful outreach, but said local examples show low-income neighborhoods do not necessarily fare worse and can adopt smaller cart options.

The commission asked staff to pursue a sit-down with McCabe, Johnson and Waste Pro to outline options for a pilot or procurement. Staff indicated they would return with implementation logistics and legal/procurement guidance.