Composting Program to Launch in South Oak Park

Oak Park is launching a pilot, voluntary food composting program along one garbage collection route in South Oak Park this spring.

The effort, officials say, aims to minimize the amount of organic waste sent to landfills.

"Oak Park currently diverts about 38 percent of its solid waste from landfills through recycling and yardwaste collection efforts," Oak Park solid waste manager Karen Rozmus said in a news release. "This pilot program will help us determine if we can increase the diversion rate significantly by adding food scraps to the organic mix sent to a commercial composting facility."

Here's how it will work: Residents who want to sign up for the program, which will make its test run April 2 through November 30, will pay $12 per month. Officials say that's less than the cost of one yardwaste sticker per week.

Participants will receive a special 96-gallon mobile cart for organics, a bucket for collecting food scraps, along with compostable bags. An important caveat: Both yardwaste and food scraps can be placed in the big organics cart, but residents must ensure they're tossing their food scraps into bag that meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for compostable materials.

If you already maintain a backyard compost piles or mulch your grass clippings, Rozmus recommends sharing organics carts, and costs, with neighbors. And those who wish to participate won't have to buy yard waste stickers or bags.

The test program will launch along Waste Management's regular Friday yard waste collection route south of the Eisenhower Expressway from Harlem Avenue to East Avenue, encompassing about 1,300 potential residences.

A series of forums to explain the program are scheduled for 7–8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Washington Irving Elementary School, 1125 S. Cuyler Ave, Monday, Feb. 13 at Lincoln Elementary School, 1111 S. Grove Ave. and Thursday, Feb. 16, at Ascension Catholic School, 601 Van Buren Street.

The program is part of a new contract with Waste Management in which residents will pay more to haul away trash, recyclables and leaves. Beginning in January, garbage rates for homes using a 96-gallon cart have increased $1.61 a month, from $19.89 to $21.15. Rates for homes that use a 64-gallon cart have increased 94 cents a month, from $16.76 to $17.70.

As part of the deal, 10 solar-powered trash compactors and recycling kiosks will be placed in the village’s business districts to help reduce collection costs.

Waste Management, which has had a contract with Oak Park since 1998, also plans to use compressed natural gas trucks, which will belch out lower emissions, to pick up garbage and recycling.