The Town of Deep River is excited to announce the launch of their participation in the State of Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) waste reduction program beginning February 1, 2023.  Nearly $5 million is being awarded to 18 towns and regions to support the development of food scrap collection and unit-based pricing pilot programs, the type of waste diversion efforts recommended by the Connecticut Coalition for Sustainable Materials Management (CCSMM), a coalition of over 100 municipalities across the state working on ways to reduce waste and increase reuse and recycling. 

Residents of Deep River who have 2023 Deep River Transfer Station passes will be given free garbage and food scrap bags to be used for an entire year.  The program requires that all people using the Transfer Station separate their food scraps from household garbage which will be brought to Quantum Biopower, an anaerobic digester in Southington, thus reducing the amount of waste that goes into garbage.  People are expected to continue to recycle paper, cardboard, metal, glass, etc. as they have been doing.  Food scrap diversion programs are critical in addressing the waste disposal crisis in our state. Connecticut is facing a solid waste disposal crisis, as traditional options for disposing of municipal solid waste (MSW) are diminishing or becoming more expensive. With fewer and rapidly aging disposal options in the state, residents and municipal leaders can expect disposal costs to increase at the remaining waste incineration facilities as well as out-of-state landfills.

Between 22-40% of what residents throw away is organic material—food scraps and yard waste—that can be diverted for composting anaerobic digestion to create clean energy. The Deep River Waste Reduction program, funded through the DEEP SMM grant comes at no cost to the 1100 eligible Deep River households.  The funding covers the purchase of special color-coded bags for trash and for food scrap separation for the year long pilot program, educational materials (mailers, website, Connect mobile App), and the shipment of food scraps to Quantum Biopower in Southington where the food will be converted into clean electricity and compost.

According to Connecticut’s most recent waste characterization study, 41% of what residents throw away is organic material—e.g., food scraps, and yard waste—that can be composted, converted to energy through anaerobic digestion or processed into animal feed. Food scraps alone represent 22% of residential trash. Food scraps are one of the heavier materials regularly thrown away at the residential level and removing them from the waste stream reduces the costs of disposal as municipalities pay by weight. 

The funding for this program was proposed by Gov. Lamont in his budget and approved by the State Legislature. This is the largest investment that the state has made to date in cost-effective, sustainable alternatives to waste disposal, in order to incentivize municipalities and regional entities to implement programs that will achieve greater system reliability, environmental sustainability, and fiscal predictability. 

Connecticut relies heavily on aging disposal infrastructure through which the majority of solid waste is incinerated to generate energy.  The pilot programs are designed to reduce the amount of trash in these communities and reduce reliance on this infrastructure or out of-state-landfills. With the July closure of the Hartford Resource Recovery Facility owned by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA), up to 30% of the state’s solid waste will now be shipped to out-of-state landfills. The pilot projects will help meet Connecticut’s goals to reduce waste and increase reuse, recycling and composting, while also creating stable, predictable, environmentally sound and self-sufficient waste disposal options. 

First Selectman Angus McDonald says, “I am very pleased to have Deep River participate in this program.  While this is just a first step, it is my hope that this program draws attention to the potential waste crisis here in Connecticut and results in an overall reduction in the amount of biodegradable trash that is thrown into the garbage. We are very excited for Deep River to be one of the leaders in Connecticut and play a part in this innovative, free, food to clean energy collection program. The DEEP SMM grant allows over 1,000 eligible households the opportunity to participate in a program that can have a positive and significant financial and environmental impact for our Town. I encourage all eligible residents to pick up their free bags and to participate in this important program.”

Deep River residents with 2023-24 Transfer Station stickers can pick up their free bags at the following locations, dates and times:

Deep River Town Hall: Sunday, January 22^nd, 3pm- 4pm, during our Deep River Sustainable CT Bronze Certification Celebration beginning at 3pm

Deep River Transfer Station: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 8am-4pm beginning Wednesday, January 25^th.  

More information is available on the Deep River SMM grant website:  https://www.deepriverct.us/deep-river-sustainable-ct-committee (link to the CT Sustainable is on the left hand side of the screen)