Title
United States Department of Agriculture Grant Opportunity for Improved Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction for Fiscal Year 2021 (Ordinance S-47844)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to retroactively apply for, accept, enter into an agreement, and disburse grants from the United States Department of Agriculture through its Cooperative Agreements for Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction Program, to support development of food waste reduction strategies and compost program improvements throughout the City of Phoenix. Further request to authorize the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item. The City match for grant funds is 25 percent of the grant award up to $90,000 or $22,500 in total City funds required.
Report
Summary
In February 2017, the Public Works Department began operations of a newly-constructed compost facility designed to process food and yard waste to manufacture a certified compost. The facility was designed with a feedstock capacity of up to 55,000 tons of organic material per year. In partnership with the Office of Environmental Programs, the Public Works Department is seeking innovative opportunities to expand composting access, reduce food waste sent to landfill, and create a circular economy around composting and food waste initiatives.
In 2017, to support multi-family recycling, Phoenix introduced eight recycling drop off containers called ECO-Stations in eight parks across the City (each Council District included). Since being rolled out they have shown to have successful participation. Building upon that success, if awarded, the grant funds would be used to similarly implement a program designed to offer residents the opportunity to drop off food waste at ECO-stations. This will allow Phoenix to easily pilot a food waste drop off system and study contamination levels to determine scalability.
Another component of this program is to expand marketing and education to those who participate in the program. This marketing initiative aimed to use compost at-home or in community gardens will close the loop in this circular waste-to-resource process. Parks, schools, community gardens and City facilities will be considered as locations for this food waste collection pilot.
United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production will accept applications until July 16, 2021.
Financial Impact
The amount requested for this proposal is $90,000. If grant funds are awarded in full, Phoenix would need to match up to 25 percent in funding or $22,500. Funding for the Phoenix cost share is available in the Public Works Department's budget. Other costs may be incurred by the department to support critical program deliverables such as program evaluation.
Location
Composting facility at 27th Avenue Transfer Station - 3060 S. 27th Ave.
Council District: 7
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Public Works Department.