Saving Taxpayers’ Money by Recycling Food Scraps

In mid-August 2021, the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Joint Sanitation Commission officially joined Westchester County’s Residential Food Scrap Transportation and Disposal (RFSTAD) Program. This County-wide program incentivizes municipalities to divert food scraps from garbage (also called solid waste) by charging municipalities for food scraps one-third to one-half of the price of garbage disposal. Our municipalities pay $10 to $15 per ton for food scraps, depending upon volume, as compared to $30.98 per ton of garbage disposal beginning in 2022 (an approximate 3.8% increase over the $29.83/ton municipalities have been paying). The more residents participate in the food scrap recycling program, the less garbage we generate, the less in fees our municipalities pay to dispose of that garbage and the more nutrient-rich compost we can generate to enrich the soil that grows our food. It’s a win-win for our economy and the environment!