MADISON, Wis. — Dane County is launching a program to reduce the amount of food waste in landfills.

Globally, about one billion tons of food waste ends up in landfills every year, according to the United Nations.

What You Need To Know

  • Dane County is launching a program to reduce the amount of food waste in landfills

  • Food waste in landfills generates methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that scientists say contributes to climate change

  • Dane County recieved a federal grant to expand food and yard waste drop off sites throughout the county over the next five years

  • They've partnered with Purple Cow Organics to compost all of the material

Once in a landfill, that food waste generates methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that scientists say contributes to climate change.

Dane County received a federal grant and will spend millions of dollars over the next five years to expand food and yard waste drop-off sites throughout the county to try to combat this issue.

“We’re trying to create a convenient way and increase access to food waste composting,” said Roxanne Wienkes, deputy director of the Dane County Department of Waste and Renewables. ”Not everybody can compost at home.”

They’ve partnered with Purple Cow Organics, a company that composts organic materials and makes the compost into planting products for gardeners, landscapers and farmers.

“Everything that we do, we're looking to increase the soil biology in the soil,” said Jerod Reuter, COO at Purple Cow. “A lot of it's been hurt over the years.”

Part of the work will be helping the community learn what is compostable and how to separate garbage at home. The county hopes to start collecting a small amount of food scraps by August and scale up from there.

Leaders said even baby steps can make a big difference in the effort to reduce harmful emissions.

“We can get that material out of the waste stream and prevent that methane from being produced for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Wienkes said. “So, ultimately, it's the county’s goal to get to net zero, and the landfill plays a big part in getting there.”

With the help of Dane County, Purple Cow Organics is making upgrades, including a drop-off location and bunkers to hold the food scraps.

“I think if we can start small, make sure that the material is clean, and it doesn't end up going to the landfill anyway and then build that program, it will have huge environmental impacts for the county,” Reuter said.

By 2025, their goal is to collect about 1.2 million pounds of food waste each year, and roughly 22,000 tons of yard waste.

Related Stories