The City of Somerville is making it easier for residents to compost their food scraps with 10 new food waste drop-off bins across the city. The bins have been installed citywide and are ready for use.
“Even a banana peel can be part of our response to climate change,” said Mayor Jake Wilson. “Residents voted for this project because they wanted composting to be an option for more of their neighbors. These bins give everyone in Somerville a free way to turn food scraps into something useful while keeping food out of the trash and away from rats.”
The new network builds on existing composting efforts, including the City’s curbside food waste collection pilot in East Somerville and the thousands of households that subscribe to private curbside collection services.
Expanding food waste collection is part of the City’s work to meet the goals outlined in Somerville’s Zero 91TV Plan and Climate Forward, including reducing waste by 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. Plant and animal waste and compostable paper make up approximately 30% of municipal solid waste in Massachusetts. Collecting these materials separately helps keep them out of the trash and allows them to be turned into compost that can be used to fertilize the soil.