BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — More Buffalo residents now have the chance to turn food waste into nutrient-rich compost, as the city expands its "scrap-it" curbside compost collection program to keep more food waste out of landfills.
The weekly curbside pickup program has been piloted since 2023 for 2,000 single-family households across Buffalo, with 1.7 million pounds diverted from landfill in that time according to Terra Courtney, a worker owner at Farmer Pirates LLC which runs the program.
"So that's a lot of food waste," Courtney said.
Now, more Buffalonians will have the chance to take part.
"It'll be expanding from 2,000 hopefully to about 10,000 residents within the next five years," Courtney said.
With 1,000 people on the waitlist, Courtney expects the first phase of the expansion to happen quickly.
WATCH: Buffalo expands curbside composting program, aiming to serve 10,000 residents
Once signed up, participants receive a brown 12 gallon tote which they fill with food scraps before placing it out on the curb for pickup each week along with their regular garbage and recycling totes.
Farmer Pirates LLC handles curbside collection and brings the food scraps back to their headquarters on Buffalo's East Side where it is turned into compost over a period of six to eight months. The finished product is then sold to local farmers and gardeners each spring.
Courtney listed some of the benefits of composting.
"This is a material that can be reused to rebuild our soils, to grow more food. If we send it to landfill there it's gonna slowly decay and potential release harmful methane into the atmosphere. Also landfills are not infinite they are taking up valuable space," Courtney explained.
“Composting is a practical way for residents to make a difference in how much waste we send to landfills," Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said.
The program will remain voluntary and on a first-come, first-served basis with a waiting list used to help ensure participation across the city. You can learn more and sign up at the Farmer Pirates LLC website.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
