Food Waste Reduction
Nearly one million pounds of food waste is landfilled in Franklin County every single day. Reducing food waste presents one of the best opportunities in central Ohio to increase the diversion of materials from the county landfill. With 41 communities in central Ohio, SWACO's municipal partners play an important role in the effort to prevent waste.
Save More Than Food Campaign
SWACO's Save More Than Food campaign for communities is designed to help residents reduce food waste at home by providing them with resources to help prevent, donate and compost in their community. SWACO provides a toolkit of promotional assets, resources and funding so that Franklin County communities can implement the six-week campaign and tailor it to the specific local opportunities available.
The cities of Upper Arlington, Gahanna, Whitehall and Columbus's food waste drop-off programs have seen an increase in participation and a decrease in the amount of food waste being generated in homes.
Launch a Community Campaign
If you're interested in partnering with SWACO on a Save More Than Food Campaign in your community, reach out to [email protected].
Food Waste Drop-Off Expansion Program
Public food waste drop-off programs provide an opportunity for residents, who may otherwise not be able to compost, to divert food scraps from their homes. Sites are free to use for residents and are managed by individual communities. SWACO has partnered with communities to provide funding for the launch and expansion of these programs since 2018. The Save More Than Food Campaign is run alongside the launch or expansion of a drop-off program.
Download the Food Waste Drop Off Expansion Program application packet to learn more about this funding opportunity. The packet includes the program application, reimbursement request form, and an end of program report. The application is designed with communities in mind to help them deploy a program quickly, featuring a:
- Simple application
- 50% up-front reimbursement, 50% final upon completion reimbursement
- Templated funding amount
- Year-round application period
The SWACO Food Waste Drop Off Program Best Practices document is a guide that provides detailed information on how to operate this type of program.
Community Drop-Off Programs in Action
City of Gahanna
City of Westerville
City of Whitehall
