Norfolk residents snap up countertop composters for organic waste pilot project
They didn’t move quite as quickly as tickets to a Taylor Swift concert or Professional Women’s Hockey League game, but 150 countertop composters offered for sale to Norfolk County residents at a steep discount as part of an organic waste pilot project were snapped up within hours this week. During budget talks in January, council signed off on spending $21,500 to buy 150 Canadian-made FoodCycler units for a 12-week pilot project.
The units come in two sizes and normally retail for $500 or $800, but the cost for participating residents is $150 or $300 thanks to subsidies from the county, the federal government and the manufacturer.
Residents pounced on the discounted indoor composters, which Food Cycle Science — an Ottawa-based company that has launched similar pilot projects in more than 100 Ontario municipalities — says can reduce the size and weight of food scraps and other organic material by about 85 per cent, saving landfill space and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by trapping methane inside the aerobic digester.
The website to purchase FoodCyclers on a first-come, first-served basis went live on Tuesday at 2 p.m. Residents were limited to one unit per household.
Four hours later, three-quarters of the units were spoken for. By nightfall, only one remained, and it was claimed before county staff had time to pour a morning coffee on Wednesday.
“The interest and uptake of the FoodCycler program by Norfolk County residents has been fantastic,” waste management supervisor Merissa Bokla told The Spectator. “It is great to see residents willing to participate in the pilot project and in diverting food waste from landfill.”
Mayor Amy Martin posted a countdown on social media as the units flew off the proverbial shelf. “The community interest in the FoodCycler demonstrates Norfolk’s commitment to sustainability,” Martin said.
“It’s a fun pilot project that will give us valuable information about implementing new waste management strategies before our contracts are up for renewal. I look forward to tracking the diverted waste and realizing the return on investment.”
The FoodCyclers are expected to arrive in early April. After the pilot project ends, participants can keep their machines and the county will analyze usage data and user survey responses to see if FoodCyclers are a good fit for Norfolk’s organic waste collection program, which is in development and expected to launch in 2025.
Organic waste makes up about 40 per cent of the 14,500 metric tonnes of curbside garbage the county picks up annually.
During budget talks in January, council signed off on spending $21,500 to buy 150 Canadianmade FoodCycler units for a 12-week pilot project