The Richmond Compost Initiative will divert food waste from the landfill by creating drop-off locations where residents can recycle their organic waste into high quality soil for community use. The program is being funded by a $90,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services grant to pilot the composting program, to run through next fall. The funds are being spent on planning, design and construction of a medium scale compost processing site, materials for neighborhood drop stations, and a contract with a dedicated site manager, according to an announcement from the City of Richmond.
Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and the city’s Department of Public Works are together providing support to the composting program in the form of a site, personnel and equipment. RealRoots Food Systems LLC has been contracted to manage the processing of the food scraps into high quality finished compost, the announcement said.
Twenty neighborhood drop-off compost stations will be placed around the city at community gardens, public libraries and other community organizations as a part of the program.