Plate scrapings are now being accepted in Ann Arbor composting carts. The city added the food scraps this year after a study of residential trash found about half of it was food that could be composted.
According to Solid Waste Coordinator Tom McMurtrie it costs about $27 a ton to send trash to a landfill, compared to about $15 a ton to compost. McMurtrie says there will be some additional screening necessary before the finished compost can be used. The city’s grinder will also be used daily to better mix the food scraps with other materials to eliminate odor concerns.
The city is offering free kitchen composters so residents won’t need to take their plates to the compost cart after every meal.
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— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.