Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Composting Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Grand Island CAB explores Erie County food-scrap composting pilot with $500,000 grant slots available
Summary
Erie County has funds remaining in a multi-municipality composting pilot; CAB members said the county can supply kitchen containers, secured drop-off receptacles and outreach materials but the town would need to arrange weekly transport of collected scraps to a processing site.
Board members reported a potential near-term opportunity to join an Erie County pilot program for municipal food-scrap collection. Erie County’s project has about $500,000 in grant funding across multiple municipalities and, according to county contacts, can supply household kitchen containers, drop-off receptacles and education materials — costs that the county grant would cover for participating towns.
The county’s current operator would accept food scraps for free at a processing site (reported as the Alden Correctional Facility and Farm in county presentations) but the town must arrange for weekly transport of drop-off materials to that facility or identify a hauler that will accept the material. Board members discussed possible models — subscription, code-based access control for receptacles, locked containers to protect against wildlife — and emphasized considering tipping fees and transport costs before committing.
Members recommended inviting Erie County staff to present to the CAB (or to a subsequent meeting) so the board and town staff can better understand logistics, potential costs and contract options. Members also proposed running an online survey to gauge household interest in a drop-off pilot as evidence for the Town Board when weighing participation.
