By Ilene Moyher
Orange Recycling Committee
Ilene Moyher
Whether you’re a regular at the Orange Transfer Station & Recycling Center or stop by occasionally, we hope you’ll utilize one of the easiest ways to keep food scraps out of the trash: the compost bins. Four new blue bins, conveniently located across from the hopper, provide residents with a place to drop off their food scraps for composting.
The composting program began as a pilot in 2023 with the goal of reducing the amount of municipal solid waste the town must dispose of, thereby reducing disposal costs while helping the environment. So far, it’s been quite successful as many tons of food waste have been diverted from household trash.
There’s recently been a fundamental improvement that’ll make composting much nicer for residents. Enviro Express, the town’s new residential recycling partner, will remove bins containing food scraps and replace them with fresh empty bins. Previously, contents were emptied into a truck on site at the transfer station, so the bins were rarely cleaned and became quite soiled. The new process should reduce or eliminate ickiness.
What can you put in the bins? Quite a lot. Accepted food scraps and other items include fruits and vegetables, peels and pits; eggs and eggshells; dairy products; meat and poultry, including bones; seafood and shells; coffee grounds and tea bags; baked goods; chips and snacks; rice and grains; leftovers and spoiled food; and even pet food.
That list may surprise people who compost at home. While backyard composters generally avoid meat, dairy and bones, those materials can go into Orange’s food scrap collection. The program is particularly useful for residents who want to compost but don’t have the space, time or setup to do it themselves.
Residents may dump food scraps from their own container into the bins or may put food scraps into plastic bags and put the whole bag into the bin (yes, plastic bags are allowed in this instance).
There are some important exceptions. Coffee pods, plastic wrap, takeout containers, plasticware, paper products, metal or aluminum foil, glass, jars and pet waste do not belong in the compost bins. When in doubt, check the guidelines at orangerecycles.com before making the trip.
Food waste in the regular trash ultimately becomes part of the town’s municipal solid waste stream. Separating it for composting means less material needs to be transported and disposed of as trash and more can be turned into a useful resource.
Food scraps will be transported to Southington for proper disposal at an anaerobic digestion facility. An anaerobic food waste digester is a sealed, oxygen-free system that uses microorganisms to break down organic food scraps. The process converts waste into biogas (renewable natural gas/methane) for energy and nutrient-rich digestate for use as a natural fertilizer or soil amendment.
The next time you’re heading to the transfer station, consider bringing your food scraps. It takes only a few extra seconds, but multiplied by households throughout Orange, those small efforts can make a meaningful difference. We hope residents use these bins often and thank everyone who does.
As Enviro Express settles into the routes and schedules for regular recycling, it’s best to put your bin out the night before because some routes start very early. If you have any questions or issues, call Public Works at 203-891-4712. For the latest information, visit orangerecycles.com or follow us at facebook.com/ORCinCT.
Ilene Moyher is a member of the Orange Recycling Committee.