Potsdam launches subsidized residential food-scraps collection program

Potsdam residents can now sign up for a subsidized food-scraps collection program developed by the village and the Potsdam Climate Smart Communities Task Force. The program is supported by a $55,000 Environmental Protection Fund grant awarded through the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and weekly curbside pickup costs $6 per month during its first year.

Whitten Family Farm will collect the scraps and compost them for use as a soil amendment. Participants receive a countertop bin and a 5-gallon bucket, which is exchanged during weekly pickup. Accepted items include produce, bread, pasta, dairy products, meat and bones. Plastics, including compostable plastics, and paper products are not accepted.

Residents can register through Whitten Family Farm. The Potsdam Food Co-op also offers a bucket-swap option, with the grant subsidizing that program at $3.50 per bucket, according to the village website.