{"id":31600,"date":"2026-08-28T12:04:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T16:04:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/?post_type=article&p=31600"},"modified":"2026-08-28T12:04:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T16:04:45","slug":"case-study-traverse-city-michigan","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/es\/article\/composting-for-community\/case-study-traverse-city-michigan","title":{"rendered":"Testing Small On-Site Food Scraps Composting"},"template":"","class_list":["post-31600","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":32156,"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":"","end_time":"","time_zone":"America\/New_York","virtual_event":false,"location":"","locality":"Traverse City","state":"Mich.","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 Traverse City (Michigan), Carter\u2019s Compost, and SEEDS Ecology and Education Centers.","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> Frank Dituri, Director, Department of Public Services, City of Traverse City\r\n\r\nCompostador comunitario: <\/strong>Carter\u2019s Compost (Megan Alexander, Owner)\r\n\r\nNon-Governmental Organization:<\/strong> SEEDS Ecology & Education Centers (Sarna Salzman, Executive Director)","":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 Traverse City received the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) grant to pilot a small on-site food scraps composting system on City property. It used grant funds to purchase an in-vessel composter. The City contracts with Compost de Carter<\/a> to offer food scraps collection. In exchange, the community composter can bring collected food scraps to the City\u2019s site. The City contracts with SEEDS Ecology & Education Centers<\/a> (SEEDS), a community-based nonprofit, to support project management and reporting, perform quarterly maintenance of the composting unit, and cure and distribute the compost produced in the in-vessel system. The maintenance and operational tasks, depending on what needs to be done, are split among the three partners.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Municipal Motivation"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Municipal Motivation<\/h3>\r\nSEEDS, which has partnered with Traverse City on various projects over the years, informed the City about the USDA grant<\/a> opportunity and assisted the City staff and the City\u2019s grant writer in completing the application. Traverse City\u2019s motivation was to use the grant to build community awareness about composting food scraps and to pilot test the management of a food scrap composting program in addition to strengthening its long-standing yard trimmings composting services. This was also seen as part of the City\u2019s larger efforts toward decarbonization. As part of its in-kind match, City staff time (Communications and Public Services Department staff) has been allocated to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the composting equipment and also to provide a regular supply of wood chips for mixing with food scraps. Traverse City utilized property adjacent to its Public Services\u2019 vehicle garage to house the in-vessel composting unit. City staff chose the temporary location to provide the best visibility and opportunity for public awareness.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_image_grid","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_image_grid":{"repeater":true,"images":null,"images_repeater":[{"image":31623,"caption":"Painted in-vessel compost system. Credit: City of Traverse City","link":""},{"image":31622,"caption":"Carter\u2019s Compost collection buckets. Credit: Carter\u2019s Compost","link":""},{"image":31621,"caption":"SEEDS and Carter\u2019s Compost celebrate installation of in-vessel compost system. Credit: SEEDS","link":""}],"ratio":"normal","width":"wide"}},{"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\nCarter\u2019s Compost operates a residential and commercial food scraps collection and composting service in the Traverse City region. Residents subscribe to curbside service for a fee, or can select a \u201cpay as you throw\u201d option at designated drop-off locations on a seasonal basis. Commercial clients pay a per-cart pick-up fee. The company established four hyperlocal composting locations in the city (one at a children\u2019s garden and several on farms). It also uses the City\u2019s in-vessel composting site, which opened in September 2024. Compost produced at the hyper-local sites is given back to subscribers.\r\n\r\nUsing the USDA grant funds (total of $255,396), Traverse City purchased a 20-cubic-yard Earth Flow\u2122 in-vessel composter to meet the City\u2019s goal of processing 100 tons per year of food scraps (equivalent to 11 64-gallon carts per week) for $136,360 (all-inclusive in-vessel system, shipping and handling, installation, basic training) and $69,536 for site prep (concrete pad, electric, sorting table, and shed). Carter\u2019s Compost tips food scraps from its collection routes into the vessel, adds wood chips, and oversees the operation of the unit, including monitoring temperatures and moisture, and removing contamination. SEEDS transports output from the unit to a curing site on its property.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Divulgaci\u00f3n y educaci\u00f3n"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Divulgaci\u00f3n y educaci\u00f3n<\/h3>\r\nThe Traverse City Communications Division leads the outreach and education efforts for the two-year pilot project. The focus is on community education, capitalizing on the visibility of the composting site to residents (it is across the street from the public library) as well as well-marked signage along the neighboring sidewalk and bike trail. For example, a \u201cPumpkin Smash\u201d event was held at the site last fall, which drew a lot of families to the event, providing an opportunity for education about the benefits of food scraps composting.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Compost Markets"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Compost Markets<\/h3>\r\nAfter curing by SEEDS, the nonprofit distributes the compost from the pilot to City-authorized projects, which include a municipal park and community donation gardens (where community members grow fresh produce to share with those in need, often through food rescue organizations).","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Costs & Benefits: Traverse City"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Costs & Benefits: Traverse City<\/h3>\r\nOther than staff time that is used to meet the City\u2019s USDA grant\u2019s in-kind match ($68,032), Traverse City is conducting the pilot at no cost to itself. The primary benefit, according to the Director of Public Services, is to successfully demonstrate hyper-local food scraps composting, leading to more interest in scaled-up collection and composting operations, whether by the City, the County, a third party, or a multi-stakeholder partnership. He adds that the City does not currently have in-house expertise to engage households to participate in food scraps separation and collection, nor the capacity to develop its own collection program. However, it does have a robust yard trimmings collection and composting program. After the grant term ends, the program can continue until the site is needed for other purposes. At that point, Traverse City\u2019s plan is to have the composting vessel relocated to a non-City site, notes Frank Dituri, \u201cOur goal is that this project inspires others to further the effort.\u201d\r\n\r\nDituri represents the City on a tri-county committee that is developing a Materials Management Plan (MMP), which involves developing organics recycling infrastructure. Creation of the MMP is required by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE), replacing the traditional solid waste management plan that focuses more on disposal.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Costs & Benefits: Carter\u2019s Compost and SEEDS"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Costs & Benefits: Carter\u2019s Compost and SEEDS<\/h3>\r\nWhile the City contracts with Carter\u2019s Compost to collect food scraps to be processed in the in-vessel unit, it is a zero-dollar value contract; Carter\u2019s Compost\u2019s revenues only come from its subscribers. Carter\u2019s Compost is able to invoice the City for some of the costs it incurs to help operate the in-vessel composter. Those costs are paid through the grant. In the future, the company recommends that the City\u2019s budget include a line item to pay for this type of contracted service. A significant benefit of the pilot project is increased residential and commercial awareness of the value in source-separating food scraps for composting, resulting in gaining new subscribers.\r\n\r\nSEEDS received $39,700 from the USDA CFWR grant funds to provide project management support, quarterly scheduled maintenance of the in-vessel unit, compost distribution, and support for community engagement and outreach. SEEDS\u2019 executive director Sarna Salzman notes that the pilot was designed to help Traverse City \u201claunch the conversation\u201d about food scraps collection and composting, \u201ccreating the literacy and the comfort\u201d for broader program adoption in the future. Salzman is an environmental representative on the same tri-county MMP committee and currently serves as its chair.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_anchor","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_anchor":{"title":"Financiamiento"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Financiamiento<\/h3>\r\nThis public-private partnership is only possible due to the award of the USDA CFWR grant. Carter\u2019s Compost recently received a $57,018 grant from EGLE to purchase a cargo van with a lift gate, enabling the company to increase food scraps collection volume from 21,000 pounds per year to over 200,000 pounds per year, according to EGLE. SEEDS also uses grant funding to carry out many of its initiatives.","":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\n