Residential Food Waste
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About 1/4 of residential trash is made up of food! And residential food waste makes up 40% of all wasted food in the US!! So what can we do?...
1. Reducing Food Waste
2. Composting At Home
2.1 Discounted Compost Bins & Rain Barrels
2.2 Learn How to Compost
3. Food-Waste-to-Compost Programs
3.1. Community Composting Program
3.2. Food Scrap Drop-off Pilot Program
4. Private Food Waste Collection
Tips for Reducing Food Waste
Plan Ahead
Planning your meals and sticking to your shopping list will keep you from buying more than you need!
Meal Prep Mate Guest-imator
Store Smart
When you store your food correctly, it last longer!
Store It FoodKeeper App
Get Creative in the Kitchen
Food that is “past-its-prime” can be made into something new and delicious!
Cook It
Compost It, Don’t Trash It
Food can be composted in nutrient-rich soil! Check out the sections below to learn about the many food-to-compost resources available to Manchester residents!
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The Town holds an annual Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale. Items are ordered ahead through this program and are picked-up at the Public Works Parking lot (321 Olcott Street) on the first Saturday of May.
We're sorry to say that ordering is closed for the year!
Standard Composting
Standard methods of composting typically take place outdoors and can take many forms. To learn more, check out the resources provided below...
Turn Your Spoils into Soil... COMPOST!
Intro to Home Composting Taller del Compostaje Casero En Español
Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting is the process of composting with worms, which is typically done indoors. To learn more, check out the resources provided below...
Worms Can Recycle Your Garbage
Worms Can Recycle Your Garbage (Vermicomposting) Worm Composting
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If composting at home isn't your thing, consider registering for one of our Food-Waste-to-Compost Programs! Check out the sections that follow to learn more about our two different programs.
The first community garden that we are teaming with for community composting is the Spruce Street Community Garden! Food scraps contributed to this program will be turned into compost onsite and made available to participants!
Who: All Manchester residents are eligible to participate. Don't forget to register! (Registration information is provided at the bottom of this section.)
What: The type of food scraps accepted through this program are similar to what you can add to a backyard composting operation. Check out the accepted items list, below.
Where: 153 Spruce Street - Participants can drop-off their food scraps at the composting units located behind the gardens.
When: This is a seasonal program that is available from March through October.
Registration: To register, apply for a FREE Recycling Permit.
When you register, it gives us a better understanding of the magnitude to which we're creating change! It also provides us with your contact information so we can keep you up-to-date on what's happening with the program. All Manchester residents who register are eligible for a FREE 6-gallon food scrap pail!!
Register now for your FREE Recycling Permit!
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Through the Food Scrap Drop-off Pilot Program, you can bring your food scraps to one of our drop-off stations where it will be collected and transported to a nearby facility for composting- and the biogas created in the process will be captured for energy!
Who: While all Manchester residents are eligible for drop-off at the Transfer Station, only residents of Manchester who receive trash and recycling collection by the Town are eligible to use the app-access satellite stations. Don't forget to register! (Registration information is provided at the bottom of this section.)
What: Generally all food waste is accepted. Check out the accepted items list, below.
Where: All participants can drop off their food scraps at the Transfer Station (311 Olcott Street) during our normal hours of operation (Tuesday through Saturday, 7:15am to 2:30pm). If your home is served by the Town's trash and recycling curbside collection program, then you are also eligible to use one of our app-access satellite stations. These satellite stations can only be unlocked with the use of an app. Eligible residents who sign-up to use the satellite stations will receive an email containing instructions on how to download and use the app required for unlocking the stations.
App-Access Satellite Stations
- Transfer Station Entrance, 311 Olcott Street - Located near Olcott Street, on the right
- Whiton Library, 100 North Main Street - Back parking lot entrance, on sidewalk
- Senior Center, 549 East Middle Turnpike - Back corner of the parking lot
- Mount Nebo Park, 155 Spring Street - Spring Street entrance, to the left
Interactive Map of Satellite Stations
When: This pilot program will run through April 2025. If the pilot is successful, there is the potential for the program to remain.
Registration: To register, apply for a FREE Recycling Permit.
When you register, it gives us a better understanding of the magnitude to which we're creating change! It also provides us with your contact information so we can keep you up-to-date on what's happening with the program. All Manchester residents who register are eligible for a FREE 6-gallon food scrap pail!!
Register now for your FREE Recycling Permit!
Satellite Drop-off Station App Instructions
Once you've registered, you're ready to download the app!
(Note: only registered participants will be granted approval to use the app.)
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Blue Earth is the only known hauler in our region that provides food waste collection services directly to residents. Residents have the option to hire Blue Earth to collect their food scraps and send them to a local facility for composting. As part of Blue Earth's program, residents who pay for this service receive free compost. Blue Earth's Residential Food Waste Pick-Up Program is not affiliated with the Town of Manchester.
Learn More
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