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Kensington moves to pilot residential food-waste collection with Ecology Services
Summary
Council members approved a FY25 budget line to pilot a residential food-waste collection program and concurred to place a resolution at the next meeting to contract with Ecology Services (uses the Bioenergy Center in Jessup); estimated first-year cost is about $8.07 per unit ($56,000 total), potentially reduced if neighboring towns join.
Council Member Engle presented the Town’s plan to establish a food-waste (composting) collection program for all residential properties and reported that Sustainable Kensington recommended Ecology Services Refuse & Recycling, LLC, which uses the Bioenergy Center in Jessup, Maryland.
Town Manager Hoffman said Ecology’s estimated monthly per-unit cost is $8.07 for the first year of a contract; Hoffman noted the fee could fall to $5.29 per unit if a neighboring jurisdiction (Chevy Chase View or Garrett Park) joins the program. The Mayor and Council approved a line item in the FY25 budget to cover estimated first-year costs of about $56,000 and concurred to move a resolution at the next meeting to launch a one-year contract with three one-year options for evaluation.
Council Member Bartram noted that deciding whether to drop the second weekly trash pickup is a separate discussion that depends on more factors. Ecology representatives stated that if the program proves successful, the town could consider discontinuing the second weekly trash collection under the current trash, brush, and recycling contract; no formal change to trash-service frequency was adopted at the Nov. 13 meeting.
Next steps: the council will consider a resolution at the next meeting to authorize the program and contract terms; the one-year initial contract would allow the town to evaluate continuation.
