New Jersey town receives funding to start food-recycling project

MAPLE SHADE, N.J. —Maple Shade is getting greener.

The township was awarded a $10,000 Sustainable Jersey Grant in March for the establishment of a food recycling pilot project, which will be started in the school system.

"With this grant, Maple Shade can move forward with a pilot program that will help shape the way we dispose of our organic waste, with sustainability in mind, saving money and preserving other valuable natural resources," said Maple Shade deputy mayor Lou Manchello, who is also president of Sustainable Maple Shade.

Southampton was also given a $10,000 grant. Both are certified towns with the statewide program, which provides grants for proposed projects that provide sustainable solutions to everyday challenges.

The Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program is funded by PSEG Foundation and is providing $200,000 in grants to local governments for sustainability projects. Since 2009, more than $1.7 million has been distributed to municipalities.

Manchello said the program should be implemented for the 2015-16 school year.

The project will recycle food waste into compost, with the ultimate goal of reducing the amount of food sent to landfills, and alleviating disposal costs and resource use associated with food production.

Students will learn about compostable foods, which they will deposit into special buckets during lunch.

"It's not ready to be rolled out, but we're very close," Manchello said. "The younger you get to a child, it becomes routine or ingrained in them. Once you start this kind of practice with the younger kids, I believe they carry it through life. They will no doubt bring it home and start educating their parents.

"It's where we're headed. It makes sense to take organic matter out of the waste stream. Our space is limited for trash and landfills. It's the way to extend the life of landfills."