Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Foodshare Composting Project 
December 2002 Update

photograph of foodshare staff loading spoiled produce into a food grinder. Foodshare started using the food grinder on October 28, 2002. Only spoiled vegetables and fruits that are not suitable for distribution to food pantries are put through the grinder and stored in a 6,000 gallon sealed concrete tank. Foodshare volunteers sorting through donated produce

On December 17, a vacuum truck removed approximately 3,000 gallons of the vegetable slurry from the tank and delivered it to Old Maids Farm in Glastonbury, CT. There, it was blended with horse bedding and wood chips, and formed into a windrow for composting. The finished compost will be used this spring to enrich crops on the organic farm.

photograph of liquid slurry being pumped into a composting windrow photograph of windrows filled with food waste slurry

photograph of bulking agent being mixed with food waste slurryA total of 28,875 pounds of spoiled produce was put though the grinder during the first six weeks of operation generating approximately 3,500 gallons of slurry. Prior to this program, all of this waste would have been thrown in the garbage and burned at the Hartford Resource Recovery plant. As the seasons change, Foodshare will likely see variations in volumes and types of vegetables donated which will effect the quantity of slurry generated. They will be experimenting with different evacuation methods and bringing the nutrient-rich slurry to different farms for recycling. Other farms close to Hartford are welcome to inquire about receiving the slurry by contacting Tim McGuire at the CT Department of Agriculture 860-713-2504.

Foodshare Project  |  Food Waste Composting Pilot Projects

Content Last Updated February 13, 2020