Putnam Co. Receives Food Waste Reduction Grant

Putnam County has received a state grant to support a program that aims to reduce the amount of food waste entering the county landfill.

County Executive Randy porter said the $150,000 TDEC grant will fund equipment for a pilot project on composting food waste with wood chippings.

“When you mix those two together, it creates a product called humus, which is actually used as a fertilizer in gardens and greenhouses,” porter said. “It’s a product that we can then sell. If it works how we think it’s going to, it will greatly reduce the amount of waste that’s going into our landfill.”

Porter said every ton of food waste that doesn’t go to the landfill saves the county $30 and extends the life of the landfill by not having wood chips or food disposed in it.

The county will start off with partnering with the county school system on the pilot project. They hope to have the project in operation by June.

Depending on the success of the project, the county will consider expanding the project to local businesses and maybe even Tennessee Tech, Porter said.