{"id":30966,"date":"2026-08-28T09:57:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T13:57:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/?post_type=article&p=30966"},"modified":"2026-08-28T10:15:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T14:15:33","slug":"case-study-greenbelt-maryland","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/es\/article\/composting-for-community\/case-study-greenbelt-maryland","title":{"rendered":"Citizen Green Team Drives Local Composting"},"template":"","class_list":["post-30966","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","article_type-case-study","initiatives-composting-for-community","topics-community-composting","impact_areas-climate-and-environmental-justice","impact_areas-democratic-governance","authors-nora-goldstein"],"acf":{"details":{"featured_image":30969,"background_color":"tan","article_type":[712],"initiative":15,"display_event_fields":false,"display_case_study_fields":false,"start_date":null,"end_date":null,"start_time":null,"end_time":null,"time_zone":"America\/New_York","virtual_event":false,"location":"","locality":"Greenbelt","state":"Md.","topics":[42],"impact_areas":[16,19],"abstract":"This case study is from the Keep Compost Local report featuring public-private partnerships between the City of Greenbelt (Maryland), Compost Crew, and the City of Greenbelt\u2019s Green Team.","authors_tax":[701]},"sidebar":{"title":"\u00cdndice"},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"This case study was originally published in Mant\u00e9n el compost local<\/a>, a report offering survey data, case studies, and policy recommendations to equip governments to collaborate with local composters and foster community prosperity. <\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/em>","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"Municipality and Interviewee:<\/strong> City of Greenbelt, Luisa Robles, Sustainability Coordinator, Public Works\r\n\r\nCompostador comunitario:<\/strong> Compost Crew (Daniel Israel, Senior Vice-President, Residential & Municipal Programs)\r\n\r\nCommunity Stakeholders:<\/strong> City of Greenbelt\u2019s Green Team (Tom Taylor and Hally Ahearn)","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)<\/h3>\r\nThe City of Greenbelt has worked closely over the years with the City\u2019s Green Team, using a PPP model to initiate a variety of community composting programs. The Green Team is a citizen group, supported by the City, which engages the community in sustainability projects and events, and educates city residents on programs, practices, and activities that contribute to a green lifestyle. For example, the Green Team, with assistance from the Greenbelt Department of Public Works, applied for and received a grant from Prince George\u2019s County to build a 3-bin hot composting system for food scraps drop-off, along with a shed to store equipment. A Public Works crew installed a cement pad for the 3-bin system and helped assemble it. Citizens registered to use the food scraps drop-off site and then volunteered to help manage the composting process. Volunteers also initiated vermicomposting projects for household food scraps. And for many years, the City has also offered home composting bins at wholesale prices.\r\n\r\nThese initiatives helped lay the groundwork for a PPP about five years ago between the City of Greenbelt and Compost Crew, a locally owned food scraps collection and recycling company, to set up a food scraps drop-off site at the City\u2019s Residential Recycling Center. Allowed food scraps include meat and dairy, as well as BPI-certified compostable bags and flatware. One of the sites receiving food scraps collected by Compost Crew is the Prince George\u2019s County Organics Composting Facility in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. In 2023, the City of Greenbelt was awarded a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) grant of $266,753 to conduct a curbside food scraps collection pilot and set up a small composting system on property owned by the Trinity Assembly of God, a local church. Compost Crew was identified in the grant application as the service provider for curbside service and to compost collected food scraps in Compost Crew\u2019s proprietary Compost Outpost\u00ae aerated static pile (ASP) system. Funding for the pilot program ended in August 2025.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Municipal Motivation & Pilot Logistics"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Municipal Motivation & Pilot Logistics<\/h3>\r\nThe motivation for the pilot was to evaluate whether curbside collection would increase residents\u2019 access to and participation in food scraps recycling, and evaluate a more localized approach to composting. The USDA CFWR grant funds made it feasible to conduct the pilot. Greenbelt has about 10,500 households. Residents in Greenbelt can select their own hauler for trash and recycling collection. The City provides trash and recycling collection for roughly 2,500 households. Participation in the curbside pilot was offered to all Greenbelt residents; a total of 410 households could be serviced with the grant funds. A one-time fee of $20 was charged to participating households for delivery of a 7-gallon food scraps collection bin. Households were not charged a monthly collection fee. The first 200 homes to sign up received 18 months of service, the total length of the pilot collection program. The next 120 sign-ups received 12 months of service, and the final cohort of 90 received six months of service. The last sign-up period was February 2025, with collection ending in August. From the start of curbside collection in mid-February 2024 through July 2025, Compost Crew collected over 125 tons of food scraps. Participation by households signed up for the pilot averaged between 85% to 90% on a weekly basis. In some cases, pilot participants have shared the use of their bins with their neighbors, engaging more households than the 410 sign-ups the grant funds enabled.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_30970\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"436\"]\"\" Food scraps drop-off site. Credit: City of Greenbelt[\/caption]\r\n\r\nContamination in the food scraps set out in the container has been low, according to Compost Crew. Its staff closely examines each week\u2019s recycled food scraps for contamination. After one early Greenbelt collection, the company\u2019s Composting Director said: \u201cWe usually receive cleaner loads of food scraps on our routes that divert to our municipally-partnered Compost Outposts since we have a direct line of communication with the participants and essentially perform a waste audit each week during decontamination. We provide real-time education and updates to reduce contamination, which results in a safer environment for our staff and higher quality end product.\u201d\r\n\r\nA survey was sent to pilot participants in April 2025 to collect data on their experiences with the program; 147 responses were received. Among the findings: 98% of participants are very satisfied or satisfied with the program; 73% said the 7-gallon bin to set out food scraps was a good size (25 respondents said it was too big); and 78.2% were very satisfied or satisfied with the level of customer service.\r\n\r\nAn example of the positive response to the pilot and its potential long-term impact is this remark from one participating household: \u201cWe have been on board since the initial test program started last year and have been so happy with every aspect of it. We can compost all of our food scraps and have them picked up. The company conducting the pick-up and the processing has been absolutely amazing . . . We have been spreading the word with our neighbors, working on getting them on board with composting.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnother resident noted: \u201cI LOVE the convenience of curbside composting.\u201d","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_pullquote_feature","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_pullquote_feature":{"quote":"We usually receive cleaner loads of food scraps on our routes that divert to our municipally-partnered Compost Outposts since we have a direct line of communication with the participants and essentially perform a waste audit each week during decontamination. We provide real-time education and updates to reduce contamination, which results in a safer environment for our staff and higher quality end product.","image":"","attribution":"Kristie Blumer, Senior Director, Composting, Compost Crew"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_image_grid","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_image_grid":{"repeater":true,"images":null,"images_repeater":[{"image":30971,"caption":"Shipping container at the Compost Outpost\u00ae. Credit: Compost Crew","link":""},{"image":30973,"caption":"Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan, Councilmember Jenni Pompi,\r\nCouncilmember Kristen Weaver, and Compost Crew\u2019s Ben\r\nParry at ribbon cutting for the new compost facility. Credit: City of Greenbelt","link":""},{"image":30972,"caption":"Luisa Robles & Compost Crew\u2019s\r\nTim Jenkins holding fresh compost. Credit: City of Greenbelt","link":""}],"ratio":"square","width":"medium"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Contractual Agreements"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Contractual Agreements<\/h3>\r\nThe City\u2019s contract with Compost Crew to service its food scraps drop-off site is ongoing, with the funds built into the Public Works budget. The contract for the curbside pilot and composting operation was negotiated once the City was awarded the USDA CFWR grant. Now that the pilot has ended, the City will be executing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Compost Crew to continue collecting food scraps from the 410 households in the pilot. The City Council approved the continuation in July 2025. The cost per household is a total of $21.09 per month; the City will cover $11.09 of that cost, and residents who continue to participate will pay $10.00 per month.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Composting Activity"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Composting Activity<\/h3>\r\nThe Compost Outpost at the Trinity Assembly of God church property began operating in February 2024. It has two 20-foot shipping containers equipped with wood floors and a forced aeration system powered by electricity from the church. Each container is divided into two bays, with capacity to compost about 10 tons of food scraps and 30 tons of bulking and carbon-rich materials per month. The ASP container system was approximately $25,000. The Greenbelt Public Works supplies wood chips and leaves to blend with the incoming food scraps. A 25-foot by 20-foot concrete pad was built to serve as a place to mix food scraps and wood chips prior to loading in the bays with a skid steer provided by Compost Crew. After two to four weeks of active composting in the bays, the material is put in covered curing windrows for two to three months, with the piles turned once a week. The City of Greenbelt purchased the Compost Outpost\u00ae equipment as part of the grant agreement, but plans to sell the equipment back to Compost Crew as the pilot agreement ended in August 2025. Compost Crew will continue to process curbside-collected food scraps in Greenbelt at that location.\r\n\r\nApproximately 100 cubic yards of screened compost were distributed by August 2025, with an additional 300 cubic yards to be produced and screened as part of the USDA CFWR grant. The compost is being donated to the Greenbelt Community Garden Club<\/a>, which has been coordinating the distribution. One of the Community Garden Club coordinators, Eric Raun, described the compost value as follows: \u201cThe compost was of excellent quality. All the gardeners who I talked to in Henry\u2019s Hollow were very pleased and are looking forward to another delivery in the spring of next year. It\u2019s great to have a program whereby the community enriches the gardens of Greenbelt.\u201d","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Outreach & Education"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Outreach & Education<\/h3>\r\nCompost Crew set up a website for pilot participants to facilitate ordering the food scraps collection bin and to inform participants what materials were accepted in the curbside pilot. The company also maintained a waiting list of interested participants during times when the program was awaiting its next expansion. It provided the City of Greenbelt with educational materials to distribute. The City, with assistance from the Green Team, utilized social media, tabling at events and festivals, and news articles to recruit residents to participate in the curbside pilot. Compost Crew sent emails to participating households over the duration of the pilot with updates and reminders to set out their bins and to let Compost Crew know if they were going out of town.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Costs & Benefits: Greenbelt"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Costs & Benefits: Greenbelt<\/h3>\r\nThe USDA CFWR grant enabled the City to have a distributed composting site within City limits, shortening the hauling distances between the doorsteps of City of Greenbelt residents and where their food scraps are processed. It also helped lay the groundwork for testing residential food scraps collection as a way to expand access to households that may not have been inclined or able to utilize the drop-off site. Once the free service offered during the pilot ended in August 2025, the 410 households were offered the $10-per-month subsidized rate to continue curbside collection. Currently, subsidized collection is limited to 410 households. \u201cEventually, we might be able to expand, and if people want to pay the full fare of about $21 per month, we might be able to do 660 homes,\u201d says Luisa Robles. \u201cWe\u2019re not there yet.\u201d","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Costs & Benefits: Compost Crew"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Costs & Benefits: Compost Crew<\/h3>\r\nWorking with the City of Greenbelt to establish a pilot-scale residential curbside food scraps collection program laid the groundwork for the opportunity to continue the service in the city. One challenge with municipal program models that initiate the curbside service at no cost to the households is then converting the program to a fee-for-service model, notes Daniel Israel. \u201cIt\u2019s important to have a plan in place from the beginning to transition from a free service during a pilot to a paid service following the pilot,\u201d he says. \u201cIf residents pay nothing or very little for food scraps collection, and then their option is to pay the list rate for a company like Compost Crew (at $32 per month), the attrition rate will likely be high. If households are asked to pay a small amount during the pilot \u2014 with a subsidy provided by the grant funds \u2014 they are more likely to continue with the service. For many people, an investment under $10 per month is a small amount for the service they are getting.\u201d The new monthly subsidized fee of $10 per month falls into that range.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"PPP Lessons Learned"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

PPP Lessons Learned<\/h3>\r\nThe City of Greenbelt\u2019s existing contract with Compost Crew for the municipal food scraps drop-off site provided experience in collaborating with the company for the pilot. Further, the fact that Compost Crew had a modular composting system that could be utilized for the USDA funded pilot helped to get the necessary infrastructure into place. \u201cWe all took a lot of pride in our communications with residents and engaging them to participate,\u201d notes Robles. \u201cOur team worked well with Compost Crew\u2019s team. It was nice having a vendor take care of collection logistics and the composting.\u201d\r\n\r\nRobles encourages other municipalities to start with backyard composting programs and a food scraps drop-off site \u2014 steps that are easier to set up. \u201cJust start shaking trees and make people aware of composting, and then come in with a program,\u201d she suggests. \u201cAll of the hot composting and worm bin efforts the City and the Green Team made were a foot in the door to public engagement and outreach. And key is to get the City Council interested in putting money into food scraps composting. People want it, and it benefits all.\u201d","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_pullquote_feature","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_pullquote_feature":{"quote":"Just start shaking trees and make people aware of composting, and then come in with a program. All of the hot composting and worm bin efforts the City and the Green Team made were a foot in the door to public engagement and outreach. And key is to get the City Council interested in putting money into food scraps composting. People want it, and it benefits all.","image":"","attribution":"Luisa Robles, Sustainability Coordinator, Public Works, City of Greenbelt"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"M\u00e1s informaci\u00f3n"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

M\u00e1s informaci\u00f3n<\/h3>\r\n