From the RDF:

All Wellesley residents can now drop off food waste and help produce local renewable energy.

The Food Waste Drop Off initiative at the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF) is now a permanent town program and is recruiting new participants.

Wellesley’s Food Waste Drop Off was introduced by the Wellesley 3R (Reduce Reuse Recycle) Working Group as a pilot project in October 2017 as a way to reduce the amount of trash going to landfills and improve the environment. Food scraps dropped off at the RDF were sent to an anaerobic digester and converted into electricity.

Wellesley RDF Superintendent Jeff Azano-Brown at the Food Waste Drop Off area, located between two of the trash compactors.

Initially 300 households signed up to participate; the pilot was well-received and an additional 300 households joined in the spring of 2018.

By December 2018, participants were instrumental in diverting 70 tons of food waste from the RDF and generating approximately 20,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, contributing to the success of the program and proving its value.

Information for interested participants can be found on the Food Waste Program flyer and on the on the Recycling and Disposal Facility webpages.

The Wellesley 3R Working Group is made up of the Department of Public Works, the Natural Resources Commission and the Sustainable Energy Committee.

MORE: Our interview with RDF Superintendent Jeff Azano-Brown