Lexington Helps Launch International Compost Awareness Week

LEXINGTON, MA — On Monday, the Town of Lexington will help promote the start of International Compost Awareness Week as the National ICAW Kick-Off organization for this year’s annual week. They are joined by Tetra Tech, sponsor of the kick-off event.

The national launch for ICAW is usually held onsite, but due to the new coronavirus pandemic, the program will be held virtually. A series of videos, photos and educational information will be shared on the ICAW social media sites throughout the day. The goal is to highlight Lexington's work in composting.

Viewers will be able to take an online tour of the compost facility in Lexington, hear from town representatives who are managing the compost process, as well as from citizens who compost in their backyards or hire compost pickup services. Tetra Tech, a company involved with organics management systems, will also be sharing information on increasing awareness of the environmental benefits of source separating food scraps.

Compost is important for improving or maintaining high quality soil. Some benefits of compost and organics recycling include:
• Increased soil health
• Reduced pesticide and chemical use
• Reduction in soil-borne and other plant diseases
• Reduced methane emissions from landfills
• Compost offers a significant answer to climate change mitigation

Lexington is dedicated to composting yard waste and encouraging residents to compost food waste. The Lexington compost site is often referred to as the “Old Dump,” which closed in 1981. Today the 26-acre space processes more than 50,000 cubic yards of yard waste and brush into more than 20,000 cubic yards of finished compost, loam, bark and leaf mulch.

The community-based LPS Green Team has established organics diversion programs at all public schools, promoted Zero Waste practices by collecting organics at scores of civic events and gatherings, and enlisted nearly 900 households to use green carts weekly to divert organic waste from incinerators and landfills. Town Manager, James Malloy, says “proclaiming the celebration of International Compost Awareness Week fits with the environmental spirit of Lexington.”