Winslow is beginning a food waste recycling program aimed at protecting natural resources and saving money. In partnership with the Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine, Winslow is the first to take the leap among a handful of towns starting the pilot program. A new community food recycling drop-off site will be located at the Winslow Public Library.
“We had certain key communities in the Kennebec Valley, and this is a good target area,” said Susanne Lee, the faculty fellow at the Mitchell Center who made an initial presentation to the Winslow Town Council in January. “We had interest in the area, and there really weren’t any existing food recycling efforts.”
Winslow Town Council Chairperson Ray Caron applauded the town for being a leader in food recycling. “Number one is it’s great for the environment,” Caron said. “If you can get waste out of the stream, then that’s a very positive thing.”
The pilot program is expected to save the town between $363 and $3,516 a year, depending on participation. To break even, just 10% of Winslow’s households need to participate by recycling 90% of their food waste.