Warren County Composting Meeting

Warren County is considering changes to the way food scraps and other organic materials are disposed of in the county, and Warren County leaders would like to hear the public’s thoughts on what should be done with these types of waste.

A community engagement session has been scheduled on the issue Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at Warren County Municipal Center, beginning at 6 p.m. Those wishing to participate virtually will be able to do so via Zoom, and in-person attendance will be available as well.

The meeting will focus on local initiatives and the scope of an ongoing feasibility study on local composting in Warren County as the county develops an organic waste management plan to sustainably manage food scraps and yard waste.

Warren County has the opportunity to compost 33% of its garbage, amounting to about 25,000 tons of food scraps and yard waste annually.

During the meeting, Thomas Szabo, Warren County Solid Waste & Recycling Coordinator, and representatives of GHD Consulting Services Inc., the engineering consultant with whom Warren County officials are working on the study, will offer a presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

In addition, Warren County residents are asked to provide input on solid waste disposal options via a new survey, available online here.

Warren County Public Works Superintendent Kevin Hajos said: “Warren County Department of Public Works is committed to improving the way that food waste and other organic matter are handled in our county. Food waste accounts for approximately 33% of the waste stream, and processing organic waste at a composting facility is more economical and better for the environment than sending it to a landfill or incinerator.”

(Note: This project has been funded in part by the Climate Smart Community Grant Program, Title 15 of the Environmental Protection Fund through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation).

Those who are interested in participating in the March 15 community engagement session via Zoom can email lehmand@warrencountyny.gov for a link to log on.

The meeting will also be livestreamed and video archived on the Warren County YouTube page, linked here. Go to Warren County DPW’s web page here for more information on local solid waste disposal.