Composting and glass recycling are coming to two Chattanooga neighborhoods.
The city announced a new pilot program Friday launching voluntary curbside food waste and glass recycling collection in two zones within the Brainerd and Belvoir neighborhoods. According to a press release, NewTerra Composting, based out of Dade County, Georgia, will handle the food waste in the neighborhoods as well as new drop-off kiosks at each of the city’s five recycling centers. Another Chattanooga-based company, Overlooked Materials, will handle the glass collection.
Residents zoned for the pilot program and interested in either glass collection, food waste collection or both can sign up at each of the businesses’ websites. Dropping food waste at the recycling centers also requires signing up with NewTerra Composting. None are available for businesses.
Upon signing up, residents will receive their own bins for food waste and glass recycling.
Staff photo / Michael Ryan spreads food waste and other compostable materials around NewTerra’s compost pile before covering the with wood chips on Feb. 19, 2021. Chattanooga announced a new pilot program for curbside food waste and glass recycling collection.
(READ MORE: Curbside recycling resumes in Chattanooga, but where does it go?)
Overlooked Materials transforms its glass into landscaping gravel that it sells to businesses in the city, according to its website. NewTerra Composting returns finished compost dirt to members of its programs or donates it, according to its website — selling it when excess is available. Sometimes the company sends clean produce to local farmers for animal feed.
NewTerra Composting was involved in the city’s Startup Week fair in 2021 where it was granted $7,500 in funding for curbside food waste pick-up for 100 households. The company reported 93 of the 100 households said they could reduce regular trash pick-up to every other week while participating in the program.
— Compiled by Siena Duncan
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