Traverse City, MI’s New Composting Program Praised by Neighbors

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): The new Traverse City composting program, which is a public-private partnership with community composter Carter’s Compost, is getting favorable reviews from neighbors near the composting facility. Since August 2024, the program has processed over 30,000 pounds of food scraps in the new composting system, with food waste collected from over 100 homes and businesses, according to Megan Alexander, owner of Carter’s Compost, who operates the City’s composting system.

“This is a new system for us and there has been a learning curve, particularly over the winter, but overall things are going well,” she said. “I’m really grateful for supportive neighbors and partners, and I’m glad the City’s composting system is easy to manage without creating any nuisance to the neighborhood.”

“We haven’t noticed any odors or pests,” said Melissa A. McKenna, Assistant Director at the Traverse Area District Library.  “We’re directly across the street from the composter and nobody even notices that it’s there.”

Since the autumn of 2024, Carter’s Compost has been operating an expanded food waste collection and composting program in partnership with the city. The Earth Flow “in vessel” composting system is being used to convert food waste into compost, at their Railroad Avenue location, directly across the street from the Traverse Area District Library in close proximity to many businesses and public spaces.

The new partnership with the city is a major step forwards for Carter’s Compost, which began in 2015 as a bicycle-powered food waste collection program started by an 8 year old. “With Traverse City being an area that is environmentally minded, this is a community that supports recapture of food waste or recyclable waste in this way,” said McKenna. “I think this is something that fills a need.”

The composting system is fully enclosed with a biofilter odor control system that should prevent any negative impact on the neighborhood. So far people from many neighboring businesses have positive things to say about the program.

The new composting system is a significant upgrade in terms of processing capacity and odor control compared to the simple bin system used before. “I think it’s awesome,” said Dustin Martens, who works at a bike shop in the neighborhood. “I’ve heard Carter’s Compost has been doing great things with the composting program. I haven’t noticed any problems or heard any complaints about any odors or anything.”

The new composting program collects food waste from several area businesses and residents, and has capacity to process up to 200 tons of material per year in the Earth Flow system. The project was made possible with the help of a grant from the United States Department Of Agriculture, and with the help of partners like SEEDS Ecology and Education Centers in Traverse City.

“We were working with another composting operation to recycle our paper towels but then they stopped taking our materials. So it was great timing for Carter’s Compost and we’re really glad they’re doing this,” said Nick Olson, owner of ELEV8 Climbing & Fitness, directly across the street from Carter’s Compost. “The composting system is also a great educational resource. We host camps for kids in the summer with a community garden trip, which will now include a visit to the Earth Flow.”

Olson says he hasn’t noticed any odors or other problems in the neighborhood. “We haven’t noticed anything. We’re there seven days a week and haven’t noticed any negatives at all.”

“I’m really glad to hear things are going well,” said Van Calvez, Engineer from Green Mountain Technologies, the provider of the Earth Flow system. “This is really a perfect application of the Earth Flow, to help a community composting program take the next step toward a full fledged municipal composting program. The partnership between Carter’s Compost, Traverse City and SEEDS is really an awesome model that communities everywhere could replicate.”

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com