DETROIT (WXYZ) — Eliminating food waste in the city of Detroit is amping up this summer. Two programs are kicking off in June with the goal of increasing composting in the community.
"This is like the core principle of our work is composting. This is where we come from and this is where we return to," said Jon Kent of Sanctuary Farms on Detroit's east side.
Kent is familiar with closing the food loop through composting. The farm follows a six-month process to turn food waste into valuable compost.
"This is a pile in progress right now. Usually, we turn it two to three times a week for three months, and then we let it cure for another three months just by letting it sit," said Kent.
FULL INTERVIEW: Jon Kent talks about composting initiative
The result is what Kent calls "Black Gold" – nutrient-rich compost that helps grow new food and keeps waste out of landfills.
"We have to take care of home, and this is a part of that work in making sure that we continue to have one," said Kent.
Sanctuary Farms is part of the Detroit Community Compost Collection Project (DCCP), a coalition of seven Detroit-based food waste and environmental justice organizations. The group is launching a pilot program this summer focused on increasing equitable access to composting.
"We're going to be looking at 200 residents. 100 backyard composters and then another hundred community composters," said Kent.
The program will provide materials and financial incentives for participants with support from an Industrious Labs grant.
"There's going to be stipends for folks to participate, and also we'll be giving them the materials to compost," said Kent.
DCCPplans to collect data from the pilot to advocate for broader change in the city.
"We look at it as a microcosm. So that if we can at least activate these 200, how can we also activate the 700,000 citizens that are here to compost," said Kent.
Simultaneously, the City of Detroit's Office of Sustainability is launching its own community composting program this summer, which will include a free central drop-off location and training for participants.
"Our goal is to get between 100 and 200 people in the first pilot just to see how much food waste we can actually collect," said Tepfirah Rushdan, Director of Sustainability for the City of Detroit.
The central drop-off site will use a digester to reduce waste volume by 50-75% on-site. Residents will need to sign up for the program and go through education.
The program received $100,000 in funding from Carhartt. The city will measure success by tracking pounds of food waste diverted from landfills and share the data with the city's solid waste division.
The city's program aligns with the Office of Sustainability's long-term vision to create a citywide composting system with multiple drop-off locations and curbside pickup.
"I think it's gonna take us doing this pilot, and showing people the benefits of it, so that all of our city leadership can get on board with understanding this is something that residents want to do, this is something that is good for the planet and can be done in a healthy and good way for our city," said Rushdan.
FULL INTERVIEW: Tepfirah Rushdan, Director of Sustainability for City of Detroit, talks about composting
The program is part of Michigan's broader goal to divert 50% of food waste by 2030.
Long-time Detroit resident Jacqueline Gilmore, who spent her day helping a friend care for hosta plants, says she supports the initiative.
"I just care about the earth and beauty and taking care of your community and it starts from your own property and you go from there," said Gilmore.
Gilmore plans to apply for the program this summer.
"I think it's awesome anything they can do," said Gilmore.
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