Concord residents may soon have a new option for composting their food scraps if the city council approves a $2,500 budget proposal to establish a municipal drop-off site.
Adam Clark, a division manager with Concord’s General Services Department, said city officials have been exploring the idea for some time as part of a broader effort to divert more waste from landfills.
“You’d be saving on the landfill and disposal charges that people would pay and pay less for the purple bags,” he said. “The thought here is to really increase the number of opportunities for diversion for residents.”
The proposed program would create a free drop-off point at the city’s transfer station on Old Turnpike Road.
Composting options are currently limited in Concord. Most residents can manage their own backyard pile or pay a private company to take in their food waste at a designated site.
Before the program gets off the ground, the city must pass the $2,500 budget proposal and modify its solid waste permit with the state.
The money would cover setting up the drop-off area and collection costs.
On the collection side, Clark said Concord plans to follow the lead of other New Hampshire communities by partnering with Renewal Compost, a residential and commercial food waste pick-up service.
Renewal Compost contracts with residents, municipalities and businesses to collect food waste and turn it into a nutrient-rich compost that goes back into the soil at community gardens and local farms in New Hampshire. If the proposal is approved, Renewal Compost would supply Concord with bins as part of its service agreement.
Bow currently contracts with the company and offers a free food waste drop-off service for its residents. Goffstown, New London and New Boston also have similar agreements with Renewal.
While Concord offers curbside solid waste and recycling collection, Clark said expanding that service to include food waste pickup would be costly.
“The collection aspect of everything really drives the cost up,” he said.
If the council green-lights the drop-off proposal, it would be available for both residents and businesses.
