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Orland Park committee approves voluntary residential curbside composting pilot with Waste Not
Summary
The Committee of the Whole voted to pursue an exclusive, voluntary residential curbside composting agreement with Waste Not after the company's municipal manager described electric collection vehicles, sanitized buckets, reporting on diverted pounds and program outreach; residents would opt in and pay per household.
The Orland Park Committee of the Whole on July 20 approved a motion to pursue an exclusive, voluntary residential curbside composting program with Waste Not and authorized staff to move forward with the proposed agreement.
Tommy Vaughn, Waste Not’s municipal growth manager, described the company’s service model: residents sign up online, receive a sanitized bucket or (for high producers) a 35‑ or 64‑gallon cart, and place compostable food scraps and qualified paper products at the curb for weekly or biweekly pickup. Vaughn said the firm accepts meat, bones and solid dairy when processed commercially and that every pickup is weighed so the village can receive monthly reporting and CO2‑equivalent diversion metrics.
Vaughn emphasized the company’s fully electric fleet and said Waste Not handles billing and customer onboarding, offers education and rapid customer support, and can provide finished compost back to residents or community partners.
Trustees asked about contamination controls and exceptions; Vaughn said common contaminants include produce stickers, twist ties and noncompostable plastic, and that the company will notify residents by email before charging fees, provide educational materials and distribute magnets or reminders. Trustees also discussed exclusivity and whether residents could contract separately; Vaughn said the volunteer opt‑in nature and lower rates under an exclusive municipal agreement are the rationale for the franchise.
Trustee Malani asked about service levels for larger households and Vaughn said additional buckets or commercial‑size carts are available. Trustee Healy and others expressed support for a one‑year pilot and reevaluation after experience in the village.
The board approved the motion on roll call. The agreement as presented was an exclusive municipal arrangement intended to lower costs and include village reporting; program pricing and final contract details were not specified in the meeting packet and will be handled through staff and vendor negotiations.
Next steps include finalizing contract terms, outlining contamination enforcement and educational outreach, and determining any budget or administrative requirements for program launch.
