Deadline Approaching to Continue Composting Program

Salem, MA -Salem’s free curbside Food Scraps Plus composting program will be ending in mid-April.

Salem is one of the few communities that offered this two-year pilot program for free to its residents. In 2015, 495 tons of compost were collected.

Those city residents who wish to continue composting after April 15 will have that chance, according to Julie Rose, business manager for the city’s engineering department.

If there is sufficient enrollment in the compost collection program, Black Earth Compost will be able to offer weekly pickup for under $7 per month, billed to the resident.

Rose noted that composting improves our local environment by:

• Fighting global warming--less trash going to the incinerator means fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
• Enriching the soil. Compost improves the soil’s ability to retain water and air, it adds important minerals and nutrients and it stimulates root development.
• Keeping the ocean clean. Compost reduces the need for fertilizers and other toxic chemicals which can run off into the ocean during rain events.

“We hope you will continue to participate,” said Rose. “We also ask you to challenge a neighbor to start participating in the program--for a cost of less than a bag of soil. The more people that participate, the cheaper it will be for everyone.”

You can also invite your neighbors to use your toter with you--you’ll share the cost, and increase the amount of compost taken away each week. As in the pilot program, participants will be eligible for free compost at the start of the growing season.

Let Conor Miller (Black Earth Compost) know by March 15 if you plan to continue participating in curbside compost collection. Conor’s e-mail is: Consmiller@gmail.com.

The city has posted some composting tips from lessons learned in the pilot program on GreenSalem.com. Click here and here to see both pages. These tips will help you compost more cleanly and effortlessly.
If you choose not to continue your participation, please sanitize your kitchen bucket and compost toter, and bring them to DPS at 5 Jefferson Avenue after April 15, 2016. These containers will be re-distributed to other participants.