Haverford launches curbside compost pickup July 13
Haverford Township will start collecting kitchen waste for composting July 13. It will distribute 900 free countertop compost collectors and 2,500 free 5-gallon buckets for curbside pickup at the township building from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 14.
If residents cannot make the June 14 giveaway, the kits — bucket, lid, decals and paper liners — will be available all summer while supplies last at the township building, 1014 Darby Rd., during normal business hours.
Residents may use their own buckets, available at Lowe’s or Home Depot. They do not have to be township-provided. Paper liners are encouraged to keep the buckets clean. They can be composted as well.
The new service is free to all residents who receive township trash removal services. Collection will occur every Monday. The township will also collect untreated yard waste, such as sticks, grass clippings, weeds and garden trimmings — all compostable — at the same time on Mondays.
Residents can continue their own composting project in their own backyards. The composting collection program is offered for residents who cannot or do not want to compost themselves.
Residents should have a countertop receptacle into which they will dump biodegradable kitchen waste, such as peelings, egg shells, leftover discarded food and coffee grounds. They will empty the countertop receptables into the collection buckets once a week or more and place the buckets curbside by 6 a.m. on Mondays.
The township will also distribute starter packets of paper bags to line the buckets. It recommends that homeowners rinse the buckets weekly and make sure both the countertop receptacle and bucket have tight-fitting lids to avoid odors and avoid attracting insects and vermin.
According to its press release announcing the program, the township says composting is a “one of the most powerful actions we can take to reduce our waste and build healthy soil.” In addition, the township will save money by composting food waste and yard waste instead of sending it to the Reworld incinerator for burning.
For more information, read the press release. Two videos on the Haverford Township website also demonstrate what food waste to compost and answer frequently asked questions about the program. The videos are to the right of the press release on the same website page.
