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Advocate Staff Report
Mayor Gary Christenson is pleased to announce a new composting pilot program for Malden Public Schools. The pilot program will start in all Malden Public School kitchens beginning the week of November 1, 2022. This initiative seeks to reduce food waste from local landfills. The finished compost will be put to use on farms and backyard gardens to grow more food and replenish soil health.
“I’m grateful to Malden resident and Ferryway School Food Service Worker Christopher Dreher for taking the initiative with this program,” said Mayor Christenson. “Chris took the lead and through a series of meetings with our office and the School Department we are on or way to more recycling and diverting waste from landfills.”
Composting can help alleviate four major environmental crises we are currently facing: Massachusetts landfills are closing by 2030; the cost of waste disposal is increasing; the depletion of topsoil continues; increasing CO2 emissions contribute to climate change. Malden residents can act on these issues by subscribing with Black Earth Compost. Food waste makes up 30-40% of the waste stream, which can be diverted from landfills and reused. Food waste is the heaviest component of the waste stream, and removal can save money on trash fees. Compost returns valuable nutrients and microorganisms to depleted soil. Compost is an ideal means to pull CO2 out of the air by growing strong plants and storing carbon in the soil long term.
About Black Earth Compost: Black Earth Compost collects organic waste from over 100 cities and towns in Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island and turns it into nutrient-rich compost for use on local farms and backyard gardens. The compost can be purchased at over 100 local garden centers or delivered in bulk from their Manchester, Groton or Framingham compost sites. They also offer raised bed kits, soil blends and mulch. Black Earth Compost is the leading organics recycler in Massachusetts with over 10 years of experience. Their motto is “Compost. Grow. Eat. Repeat…”
