{"id":7846,"date":"2022-12-01T11:57:06","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T11:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projectgreenlancaster.millersville.edu\/?p=7846"},"modified":"2022-12-14T14:07:22","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T14:07:22","slug":"lancaster-benefitting-from-funding-waste-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projectgreenlancaster.millersville.edu\/index.php\/2022\/12\/01\/lancaster-benefitting-from-funding-waste-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Lancaster Benefitting From Funding Waste Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Wolf Administration is providing over a hundred counties with funding for garbage and recycling programs\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

by Nicole Dalton<\/strong><\/p>\n

An initiative, the Lancaster Co-Ops is a new program that is aiming to prevent unnecessary food waste from going into landfills that could have instead been composted. The Co-Op was created in April of 2021, their goal was to composting more accessible to the people of Lancaster County. They are just an example of an initiative that is occurring in Pennsylvania trying to help with the push to fix the current composting practices. For Lancaster residents who are interested in helping with Lancaster Co-Ops, you can become a member. This will include attending New Member Orientation at your chosen site. As well as signing the Member Agreement. After that, you are given the code to the lock to be able to start bringing in your own scraps to be composted. Composting is the act of recycling natural and organic matter (such as fruits or vegetables and fruit scraps) After everything decomposes it can be used as nutrient-dense fertilizer with the help of worms, bacteria, and other composting organisms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Nicole Dalton<\/p>\n

In April of 2022, the Commonwealth is providing an award to over one-hundred-fifty counties with government funding that would aid in the recycling programs to prevent excess waste in landfills as well as create better composting practices. The thirty million dollar grant will help both county and municipal governments. Lancaster County is being awarded over three hundred thousand dollars alone. It will be helping Lancaster City, East Petersburg Borough, Mount Joy Borough, and West Earl Township.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Much of the grant is going towards improving the leaf collection programs since \u201cleaf litter\u201d is not able to be sent to landfills, and burning them can become a public issue. Burning the leaves is not environmentally friendly due to the fact that it will release pollutants in the air like mold and soot. So, instead, residents are recommended to compost their leaves which will help to create said fertilizer. These grants will also work side by side with the Litter Action Plan which is more focused on preventing litter from happening in the first place. Their goal is to collect and clean up over 500 million pieces of trash across the state. Governor Tom Wolf discussed how \u201cPennsylvania is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. It\u2019s a beautiful state with stunning landscapes and bountiful natural resources. But, we\u2019ve got a litter problem.\u201d The grant, together with the Lancaster Co-Ops will be able to help the non-profit initiative and provide them even more support. While neither of these initiatives will completely eliminate the spread of litter and unnecessary waste, they will still be able to push for people to be more aware of their actions and to change their current practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Pixabay<\/p>\n

For Lancaster County residents who are unsure of how to properly dispose of waste the LCSWMA or the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, provides all information on their website. Their goal is to be sustainable in the way they are using and managing waste. They have many different services such as trash disposal, hazardous waste drop off, and recycling. Within the resources on their website, residents can find alternatives to just throwing something out. Such as asking yourself if you really need something that you know you will never use or donating unwanted items. They provide links to local donation places like Community Aid, Goodwill, or Habitats For Humanity. The DEP or Department of Environmental Protection also put out a list of things to support these existing plans. Many of their recommendations work together with other areas of the state like the DCNR, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Department of Education. The DCNR is implementing its \u201cLeave No Trace\u201d program which is trying to help with the excessive litter in food service. The Department of Education is trying to add more anti-litter-based education and be more aware of the waste created.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
YES<\/span><\/td>\nNO\/AVOID<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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  • Crushed egg shells<\/span><\/li>\n
  • fruit\/vegetable scraps<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Coffee grounds<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Leaves<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Old herbs and spices<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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