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Oregon Family Magazine

New Sustainability Opportunities Available to Lane County Residents

09/30/2024 ● By Daniel Hiestand
Food waste and e-waste are big problems.

Fortunately, Waste Wise Lane County—a part of Lane County Waste Management—recently introduced two new programs to address both issues.

Free compost for healthier county communities

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded a grant to Lane County to support the distribution of free food-waste compost to the community. The new Community Compost program will address a missing element in the current Lane County food waste reduction plan: ensuring that an increasing supply of commercially produced food-waste compost is accessible to more county residents, particularly in historically underserved communities.

The program's compost is created from food and yard waste collected from Eugene, Springfield, and Veneta residents.

The program aims to serve all Lane County residents and agricultural producers, focusing on disadvantaged communities. Between now and 2026, the program will distribute up to 5,000 tons of free compost. Lane County residents can access free compost at eight “Free Compost Day” events.

In addition to the Free Compost Day events available to residents, organizations—including businesses, schools, community gardens, churches, and nonprofits—can sign up for free compost delivery.

Visit lanecountyor.gov/compost for more information.

“We are thrilled to introduce the program to the county,” said Maya Buelow, Lane County Waste Reduction Specialist. “Lane County provides a conducive environment for this effort, as food waste collection is already happening in Eugene, Springfield, and Veneta. Additionally, the region is popular for its home gardening and larger-scale agricultural opportunities, so it’s a natural fit.”

Recycle your batteries at Bi-Mart

This past spring, Lane County-based Bi-Mart stores launched a 12-month pilot program that will provide households with a convenient and accessible way to safely recycle their batteries.

The initiative—which will effectively retrain the public on properly identifying and responsibly managing a new generation of batteries—is supported by a $6,000 grant provided by Lane County.

Project funding will help Bi-Mart train its employees on battery identification and safe handling, purchase containers for battery collection, storage, and shipping, and market program information and educational materials for its customers.

The pilot program accepts many single-use batteries, including widely used button and coin cell batteries and most rechargeable batteries.

Alkaline batteries should go in the trash.

Buelow said battery recycling is vital for many reasons. For one, batteries contain many metals needed for lithium-ion battery production—which is critical for electric vehicle adoption, among other things.

“Additionally, improper battery disposal can create health and safety risks, including fires that damage critical waste management infrastructure and put folks at risk,” Buelow said. “This partnership will make battery recycling much easier and more accessible for Lane County residents.”

For a list of all the participating Bi-Mart stores, visit lanecountyor.gov/hazwaste.