{"id":46813,"date":"2021-11-29T19:00:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-30T00:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/?p=46813"},"modified":"2021-11-29T18:49:10","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T23:49:10","slug":"climate-city-talking-trash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/lifestyle\/climate-city-talking-trash\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate City: Talking Trash"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Buncombe County waste audit<\/p><\/div>\n

By Joshua Blanco<\/p>\n

The Institute for Local Self Reliance reports that 167 million tons of trash are dumped into landfills and trash incinerators across the country annually. Turns out it\u2019s not just the trash that stinks\u2014it\u2019s also what happens to it after we get rid of it. That\u2019s because each bag we throw away contributes to the pollution of the surrounding soil, air and water, worsening climate change and creating health hazards for both humans and animals alike.<\/p>\n

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Buncombe County waste audit<\/p><\/div>\n

But here\u2019s the kicker\u2014more than half of the municipal garbage we set out to be hauled off doesn\u2019t have to be there at all. Why? Because it\u2019s compostable! A recent waste audit conducted earlier this fall at a Buncombe County administration building revealed that roughly two-thirds of its waste could be composted or recycled. That\u2019s a total of 93 pounds of waste that could be saved from landfills each week. And that\u2019s just one building. Another audit that took place in June showed similar results, revealing that roughly 50 percent of the waste found at three Asheville Parks and Recreation facilities was actually compostable. In response, both the city and local businesses have been ramping up efforts to curb their waste.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past month or two we\u2019ve had a little bit of a growth spurt happen with new places opening up,\u201d says Danny Keaton, owner of Danny\u2019s Dumpster, a local commercial composting business that services Asheville, Hendersonville, Weaverville and everywhere in between. He estimates the company hauls about 25 to 30 tons of compostable material per week, with grocery stores and restaurants making up the bulk of it. \u201cEven though it sounds like a lot, it doesn\u2019t take much to get to that kind of tonnage,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m sure that\u2019s a drop in the bucket compared to what comes into the landfill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recently the city introduced a program to further combat excess waste by opening two locations where Buncombe County residents can drop-off compostable materials free of charge. Sustainability coordinator for the City of Asheville, Kiera Bulan, cites a number of reasons people might not be able to do their own composting. And for those who can, she admits there\u2019s often a steep learning curve when it comes to \u201cunderstanding the science and magic of composting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

Buncombe County waste audit<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThis is our way of providing opportunity for a major slice of the population who otherwise wouldn\u2019t compost themselves,\u201d Bulan says. \u201cWe want to help those who still have a desire to do right by the landfill and the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

While residents also have the option to pay to have their compost hauled away, it\u2019s not something everyone can afford, especially when they can throw it away for free. By making the drop-offs free to anyone, the city eliminates a significant cost barrier to composting.<\/p>\n

The good news is the more people that show interest in the program, the more convenient it becomes. According to Bulan, the goal is to eventually place drop-offs in areas that people can access while walking or cycling\u2014a system that can be \u201cwoven into the fabric of our daily lives,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

For now the city is piloting the program to get a general sense for how people will respond, and just how much of a difference they can make. So far more than 600 people have signed up following the initial launch, diverting nearly a half ton of waste from the landfill each week. \u201cIt\u2019s really just about closing the loop,\u201d Bulan says. \u201cIt\u2019s us taking responsibility for what we\u2019re putting out in the world and how we\u2019re doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about what you can compost and for tips on how to get started, visit the Composting Information page at AshevilleGreenWorks.org<\/a>. Buncombe residents planning to take their compost to one of the drop-off locations can register at AshevilleNC.gov<\/a>. Specific instructions on how to recycle your Christmas tree can also be found on the city\u2019s website along with a detailed pickup schedule. For more information, visit CompostNow.org<\/a>, CompostAVL.com<\/a> and DannysDumpster.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A recent waste audit conducted earlier this fall at a Buncombe County administration building revealed that roughly two-thirds of its waste could be composted or recycled. That\u2019s a total of 93 pounds of waste that could be saved from landfills each week. And that\u2019s just one building.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":46817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[105,57,103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservation","category-lifestyle","category-sustainability"],"yoast_head":"\nClimate City: Talking Trash - The Laurel of Asheville<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A recent waste audit conducted earlier this fall at a Buncombe County administration building revealed that roughly two-thirds of its waste could be composted or recycled. 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