ROOM AT THE TABLE - Intersight - University at Buffalo

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stages of the food cycle such as production and processing.
Food waste can be disposed using many different methods. More
conventional methods store food waste along with municipal solid waste
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communal composting, and conversion to energy in specialized facilities. In
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resources from that waste, such as soil nutrients which can be obtained
through composting, or through other methods such as anaerobic digestion.
A. Food Waste in Erie County
In 2009, Erie County produced approximately 101,816.84 tons of
food waste, constituting 14.1 percent of all solid waste generated in the
county. Erie County’s annual food waste is roughly equivalent in weight
to 20,000 GM Hummer Sport Utility Vehicles. 2 Erie County’s food waste
disposal system involves a number of public and private actors, although the
primary responsibility rests with the local governments. In 2009, municipal
governments in Erie County spent over $50 million on garbage collection
annually (See Table 5.1).
CONVENTIONAL FOOD DISPOSAL
Food waste generated by residents, businesses or institutions
is discarded into private or public property garbage bins of varying size
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this garbage, including food waste, is picked up by privately­owned garbage
trucks at a designated collection time. Erie County helps with reporting and
facilitating bids for collection companies, which municipalities may use
if they choose. Each municipality in the county either carries out its own
collection program, contracted with private collection companies, or jointly
with neighboring municipalities. Garbage trucks are owned and operated by
55
Table 5.1 – 2009 Municipal Government Annual
Garbage Collection Expenditure, Erie County
Municipality Refuse & Garbage Expenditures ($)
Buffalo 19,670,781
Tonawanda 5,102,351
Grand Island 1,215,181
Amherst 8,055,140
Newstead 344,500
Alden 411,943
Lancaster 2,351,909
Cheektowaga 6,654,264
West Seneca 2,047,543
Lackawanna 965,737
Hamburg 173,842
Orchard Park 1,360,528
Aurora 526,756
Elma 445,505
Marilla 245,584
Wales 185,923
Holland 247,077
Colden 183,135
Boston 568,988
Eden 562,446
Evans 961,370
Brant 137,689
North Collins 159,974
Collins 59,966
Concord 23,611
Sardinia N/A
Clarence N/A
Tonawanda City 885,958
Village of Aurora N/A
Village of Alden 125,262
Village of Lancaster 147,311
Village of Hamburg 364,664
Village of Orchard Park 146,615
Total 54,331,553
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