Satya Rhodes-Conway Mayor at City of Madison | Facebook Website
Satya Rhodes-Conway Mayor at City of Madison | Facebook Website
The final opportunity to drop off food scraps for composting at neighborhood farmers' markets is this week. The markets are scheduled for Tuesday, October 29, and Saturday, November 2.
"We set a goal of composting 22,000 pounds this year, which is about the weight of two adult mammoths. Thanks to your efforts, we will compost over 30,000 pounds," according to the announcement. The initiative will resume in 2025.
Residents can bring approved food scraps to three designated locations. The Eastside Farmers’ Market at McPike Park will accept drop-offs on Tuesday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. On the same day, the South Madison Farmers’ Market at the intersection of S. Park St. and W. Wingra Dr. will be open from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The Westside Community Market near Whitney Way and Mineral Point Rd is available on Saturday from 7:00 am to noon.
Composting approximately 15 tons of food scraps reflects significant progress given the limited hours and locations available for collection.
"As a community, we send approximately 10,000 tons of food scraps to the landfill each year," stated organizers. These include both edible items that could benefit hungry households and compostable materials.
Efforts by market sites alone cannot fully address this substantial issue; however, they contribute meaningfully toward reducing landfill waste.
The Dane County Department of Waste and Renewables continues work on developing a sustainability campus that will expand food scrap composting opportunities once operational.
"Composting food waste is just one part of solving the problem of food waste," emphasized officials who suggest meal planning and proper storage techniques as methods individuals can employ now to extend food usability and minimize waste.
Additionally, donating surplus edible goods can assist those in need while preventing viable products from reaching landfills—a list of donation organizations is available through resources provided by Streets Division’s Food Scraps website (www.cityofmadison.com/FoodScraps).
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