Homes, businesses can divert food waste

Recycling in Thurston County started a new chapter Thursday.

LeMay Enterprises garbage customers in Thurston County now may place all food waste and compostable papers into their yard waste containers. Organic materials such as yard debris, food scraps and compostable papers made up 22 percent of the waste entering the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center in Hawks Prairie, according to a county study.

Customers of Pacific Disposal, Rural Refuse, Joe’s Refuse and Butler Cove will receive a brochure in their next bill that provides details on what items can and can’t go into the organics bin. The easy answer is that if it is food (including meat, bones and dairy) or made of paper, it can go in.

It is extremely important that contaminants such as plastics, plastic foam, glass and metals do not go into the organics bin. The composting process does not have the same methods to remove contaminants that a regular recycling line has.

Jeff Harwood of LeMay said collection service actually began years ago, when farmers picked up food waste from businesses and residents to use for soil amendment and animal feed. This evolved into companies that picked up all “waste,” and trash service came into being. Along the way, the organic materials became garbage. But now we have the opportunity to change that and give food waste and compostable paper the value they deserve, and reduce our environmental footprint.

If residents use their commingled recycling bin and the new organics collection, there isn’t much left for the garbage. That means customers can greatly reduce their trash-service level and save money. LeMay even offers recycling and yard-waste-only service for residents who don’t generate enough trash to require regular pickup.

Businesses and schools have been able to subscribe to the “Food Plus” organics-recycling program for several months. Participating schools now divert about 75 percent of the kitchen and cafeteria waste into the program. Trash service is more expensive than collecting recyclables and organics, so participants can save a significant amount of money while doing their part to protect the environment.

Food Plus is provided countywide by LeMay Enterprises at 360-486-8608. LeMay offers it as a standalone service or as part of its comprehensive Certified Green recycling program for all materials. Thurston County Solid Waste will provide site setup assistance, startup staffing and suggestions on purchasing changes that can help reduce trash generation.

The city of Olympia, at 360-570-5837, also provides organics collection to businesses.

The compostable materials are transported to Silver Springs Organics, a state-of-the art commercial composting center near Rainier. The food and paper are mixed with yard and wood waste and turned into compost and mulch that the company then sells.

There are a few small pockets in the more rural areas that have not previously had residential yard waste service available. Please contact your hauler, as new routes have been added. They city will start its residential program in July.

For more information, contact Terri Thomas of Thurston County Solid Waste at 360-754-2896.