Wilton Announces Food Scraps Recycling Pilot Program

**News Release Submitted by Town of Wilton**

Jan. 13, 2023

The Town of Wilton Transfer Station will be implementing a food scraps recycling pilot program beginning on Saturday, January 28, 2023. The pilot is sponsored by the Town of Wilton with support from Wilton Go Green and the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA).

How will the program work?

• Beginning January 17, 2023, Wilton residents will be able to purchase a starter kit online. Starter kits will cost $20 which includes a 1.5-gallon bin, a larger 6-gallon bin that locks for transporting food scraps, and a roll of 25 compostable bags. Purchased kits will be available for pick up at Wilton Town Clerk, Wilton Town Hall, 238 Danbury Road, Wilton during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm).
• Starting January 28, 2023, residents can begin depositing acceptable food scraps at designated collections bins located at the Wilton Transfer Station at 71 Mather Street during regular business hours. A Vehicle Permit Sticker (free to residents) is required to enter the Wilton Transfer Station. Tickets will not be required to deposit food scraps.
• Acceptable food scrap items include: fruits, vegetables (stickers, bands, ties removed), meat, poultry and bones, fish/shellfish and shells, sauces/soups/gravy, dairy products, bread, pasta, rice, grains, eggs, eggshells, chips and snacks, nuts and seeds (including pits), left overs and spoiled food, coffee grounds and coffee filters, tea bags (no staples), cut flowers, pet food (no pet waste), house plants, and vegetable garden waste.
• Residents participating in the program will be able to pick up organic compost in the spring at the Wilton Transfer Station (2 five-gallon buckets per participant while supplies last). Details will be announced at a later date.
• With the implementation of this program, effective January 28, 2023, the Transfer Station will be open 5 days a week. Monday through Thursday 7:00 am to 3:30 pm and Saturday 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

What are the benefits of a food scraps recycling program?

Blue Earth Compost will haul food scraps collected at the Wilton Transfer Station to Quantum Biopower, a DEEP-approved anaerobic digester in Southington, CT. Quantum Biopower converts food scraps into compost and converts the methane byproduct into bio-gas that generates electricity. The compost created from food scraps also improves soil quality, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, helps to retain water in the soil and reduces soil erosion.

Removing food scraps from the regular waste stream has the potential to save the Town money and have a positive effect on the environment. Currently, Wilton sends municipal solid waste to an incinerator plant in Bridgeport, CT. Data from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) indicates that about 25% of the waste stream is food. Pulling this material out of the regular waste stream has the potential to cut greenhouse gas emissions as well as reduce the cost of waste management within the Town’s annual budget.

Other surrounding towns such as Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, and Westport are participating in similar food scraps recycling programs. For more information, to purchase starter kits or to obtain vehicle permit stickers, visit Wilton Transfer Station or call (203) 563-0152.

For more information on the Food Scraps Recycling Program, visit HRRA Food Scraps Recycling Program.