Food doesn’t have to go to waste with Kent recycling program

The average family in King County throws away nine pounds of food every week, adding up to 470 pounds every year. As a result, more than one-third of the garbage going to the landfill consists of food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard debris.

Kent residents who subscribe to yard-waste service now can recycle all their food scraps and food-soiled paper in their yard-waste carts. When you recycle food scraps rather than throwing them in the garbage, they are turned into nutrient-rich compost for local gardens and parks.

Here are tips to help you get started:

Make it convenient!

Food-scrap collection can be as simple as wrapping the material in a paper bag which can be recycled along with the food, an old coffee can, or any of the containers designed specifically for food scrap recycling that come in stainless steel, ceramic and bamboo and are available in local stores.

The City of Kent is offering free plastic food-scrap recycling containers to its residents while supplies last. To pick one up, visit the City of Kent customer-service counter at Centennial Center, 400 W. Gowe Street, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. You must be subscribing to Yard Waste collection to be eligible.

What can you include?

Food scraps that can be recycled include vegetable and fruit trimmings, meat, fish, bones, bread, pasta, egg shells and coffee grounds. You can also put in food-soiled paper such as used paper towels, napkins, coffee filters, even pizza delivery boxes. Empty your kitchen countertop container into your Yard Waste cart as needed, whether daily or less often depends on the contents.

Remember, this the same material that used to be in your trash can, except that now it will be turned into a useful soil additive instead of taking up space and creating greenhouse gases in the landfill.

For more tips, visit www.recyclefood.com.

Gina Hungerford is the Conservation Coordinator for the City of Kent’s Public Works Department.