The city of Grand Rapids is piloting a program that will give residents a food scraps drop-off option. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using food waste normally dumped in landfills to create usable compost.
The Residential Food Scrap Pilot program will launch in spring 2026, featuring several drop-off locations and a mobile app to streamline participation.
John Gorney is the Public Works Director for the City of Grand Rapids. He said the city’s currently working on the details of the collection at six facilities, and they hope to start with 500 residents registered in the program.
“We already have a compost facility in place, and we have a contracted compost operator,” Gorney said. He said the processing machine will create compost that’s a mix of the food scraps collected and wood chips that are created through the city’s forestry division or general cleanup.
Gorney said the city has engagement sessions this week with the community to get feedback on the best places to put collection bins and educate residents on what is acceptable compostable material.
The meetings will be:
- Tuesday March 3, 6-7:30 p.m., Sibley Elementary School (Ward 1)
- Wednesday March 4, 6-8 p.m., Gerald R. Ford Academic Center (Ward 3)
- Thursday March 5, 6-8 p.m., City High/Middle School (Ward 2)
More information is posted on the city’s website.
“We don’t want to push it on anybody and then end up with a lot of contaminated material just because people either don't understand or they don't want to be part of the program,” Gorney said.
Gorney said the plan is to start with two bins in each of the city’s three wards.
“We hope that ultimately that the program grows and we'll put more bins out there in the community,” he added.
The goal is for the program to return good quality compost to neighborhood and community gardens or individual residents.
“Depending on whether it's residential or commercial, 30 to 60% of all trash is food waste,” Gorney said.
The program is meant to limit the amount of food that goes in the incinerator or landfills, he continued.
According to Gorney, each of the six collection bins costs $5,000. A grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is covering $10,000 of the cost, and the city’s working on a couple additional grants to help with purchases. But Gorney said funding for the project is built into the city’s budget.
Michigan Public's Zena Issa contributed reporting to this story.
