Easton residents have the opportunity to support a pilot program to reduce food waste destined for the landfill.
The town has partnered with Ottawa-based Food Cycle Science Corporation to try out the company’s Food Cycler machine, an indoor appliance that recycles your kitchen scraps by turning them into a nutrient-rich soil amendment without the hassle of traditional composting.
It didn’t take Paska Ann long to order a Food Cycler after the pilot program was introduced during a Board of Selectmen meeting in March.
“I want to reduce my food waste, garbage load and landfill capacity and augment my garden,” said Ann.
Through the partnership, residents can purchase a machine at a reduced rate. Two models are available depending on the person’s household. The only obligation is that residents provide Food Cycle Science feed back on their experience with the machine over12 weeks. The data will be used to shape the company’s waste management strategies.
First Selectman David Bindelglass hopes the pilot program is another path toward making Easton more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
“This not only alleviates the burden on landfills but also represents a significant step towards achieving sustainable waste management practices within the community,” he said.
Rotting food in landfills generates harmful greenhouse gases that negatively impact the environment. According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills, where it emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Ann said she couldn’t be happier with her Food Cycler. The delivery was fast, the set up was easy and the machine, the size of a bread machine, is very quite when in operation.
She puts her table scraps food into the machine and a few hours later her food waste turns into an odorless, fine powdery substance she uses in her garden.
“It’s cleaner and faster than my compost bin,” she said. Tracking when and how she uses the machine is also forcing her to recycle more and it might very well reduce her garbage bill.
More information on the pilot program can be found on the town’s website and information on how the machine works on the Food Cycler website.
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