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Somerville officials restart push for school composting after earlier pilots stalled

Joint meeting of the Somerville City Council Committee on School Buildings, Facilities, and Maintenance and the Somerville School Committee Subcommittee on School Buildings, Facilities and Maintenance · October 29, 2025
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Summary

City sustainability staff told the joint City Council and School Committee subcommittee the city wants to re-start school composting after pilots in 2018—19, citing operational lessons and new opportunities including a curbside pilot and participatory-budgeting funds for drop-off sites.

Christine Blaise, director of the mayor—s Office of Sustainability and Environment, told the joint committee that Somerville ran cafeteria composting pilots in 2018 and 2019 and later tried a short kitchen organics pilot that did not perform as well.

"That analysis also determined that additional personnel and resources would be required to maintain and expand the program," Blaise said, explaining that staff and logistical limits and the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted plans to expand the program.

Blaise said the city recently launched a curbside composting pilot and had 169 sign-ups in the first week. The city also…

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