County Extends Deadline for Free Residential Compost Systems

By Arnie Leshin 

The Santa Fe County Sustainability Office, in an effort to promote waste reduction and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with County solid waste operations, announced that it is extending the application period for the 2021 Backyard Composting Program until Monday, May 17 at 5:00 p.m. Free residential compost systems are available to a limited number of County residents who have a valid trash permit or bag tag.

Composting is a technique that allows you to easily “recycle” organic material such as food and yard waste into a type of healthy, rich soil called “compost.” When applied to a garden or field, compost boosts plant growth and helps retain soil moisture—even during droughts.

The Backyard Composting Program is designed to reduce the amount of waste that households generate, which in turn helps participants save money on solid waste permits and bag tags. Keeping food and yard waste out of the landfill greatly reduces the amount of methane emitted from landfills, which promotes and furthers the County’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with County operations. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, food waste and yard trimmings are 34% of the waste an average household generates. Compare that to glass, which is 4% of generated waste, and it is easy to see how big of an impact can be made by keeping these materials out of the landfill.

The Santa Fe County Sustainability Office is partnering with Reunity Resources, a local non-profit organization that specializes in regenerative farming and sustainable land stewardship, to install the straw bale composting systems at households across Santa Fe County this spring. In addition to installing the system, Reunity Resources will provide tools, training, and an instructional guide, and the Santa Fe County Sustainability Office will provide on-going technical assistance to ensure that the composting systems continue to be successful and productive throughout the seasons.

The program application is available in Englishand Spanish, and can also be accessed from the Sustainability Office’s website. Residents can contact Sustainability Specialist, Adeline Murthy, at (505) 992-9862 oramurthy@santafecountynm.gov with any questions. Applicants must demonstrate they purchase permits or bag tags for Santa Fe County solid waste convenience centers to qualify.

All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on May 17, 2021.