Rocket Composting Machine

Diverting Food Waste

After seventh grade students at the Wayne Highlands School District attended an environmental education program, they decided to try to divert food waste from landfills with a more comprehensive recycling program. Working with Corporate Waste Consultants, fellow students, teachers and staff, the school prevented 20 million tons of waste from entering a landfill.

With the assistance of the county, the school district received a grant to purchase an A900 Rocket Composter, said to be capable of processing nearly 500 gallons of food waste a week.

Rocket composting machine

Green Business of the Year Award

For those efforts, the Wayne Highlands School District earned the Green Business of the Year Award in 2016 from Sustainable Energy Education and Sustainable Energy Education, Development and Support (SEEDS).

Pilot Effort

In 2018, several Wayne County departments have joined in a pilot effort to provide summer food waste from their meal programs, and The Cooperage Project is doing the same with the children's free summer lunch program, made possible through a partnership with Wayne Highlands.

Learn more from this WNEP-TV16 Power to Save segment.