Overland Park could soon join other Johnson County cities in offering compost drop-off locations through a partnership with KC Can Compost.
If the city moves forward with the pilot, then self-service kiosks would be set up in the parking lots of the Matt Ross and Tomahawk Ridge community centers for individuals to drop off their material for composting.
People who want to use the composting service must pay for a $13/monthly subscription with KC Can Compost.
Earlier this month, members of the city sustainability staff told the Overland Park City Council Community Development Committee that a pilot with the nonprofit was in the works. No action was taken, but members of the committee were supportive of the idea.
The pilot hinges on whether the city can receive a $15,000 Solid Waste Grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. If the city gets the grant, then it would cover 75% of the cost, leaving 25% for Overland Park to cover.
How would the compost pilot work?
Patrons dropping off their materials for composting would be able to access the kiosks using an app they’ve already installed on their phones through a subscription model. Otherwise, the bins would be fully enclosed and locked.
“It kind of looks like an old-style public mailbox drop-off,” said Gayle Bergman, sustainability programs coordinator.
Subscribers through KC Can Compost’s drop-off program would need to have their own biodegradable bags or buckets to collect the materials for composting at home.
The kiosks would accept organic materials for composting, including leftover food, spoiled produce, paper towels and other paper products that can’t be recycled and food scraps, Bergman said. Those items are then taken to Missouri Organic to make compost.
Other JoCo cities have drop-off compost programs
- Roeland Park has a KC Can Compost drop-off in partnership with the Price Chopper in that city’s limits.
- Prairie Village also recently greenlit a similar pilot program with KC Can Compost that is expected to roll out this summer at city hall and Wassmer Park.
- Olathe has a food waste composting program, as well, with drop-off available at the Olathe Community Recycling Center and Black Bob Park. The program is free to use for residents.
Overland Park has explored composting before
- Overland Park has been piloting a curbside food waste composting program for apartment complexes in the city, also with KC Can Compost.
- Additionally, Compost Collective KC has a bin swap program pop-up at the Overland Park Farmers’ Market each week. It costs $10 to get your initial bin at home and $8 every time you drop it off.
Next steps:
- No formal action from the committee or the full city council is required at this juncture.
- If the city moves ahead with the pilot program, then the compost drop-off kiosks could arrive at Tomahawk Ridge as soon as this year.
- The Matt Ross kiosk would likely come later, Bergman said, due to the farmers market’s temporary operation at that facility.
- Overland Park is also exploring a joint composting program with Johnson County for more drop-off locations or partnering with the county on the community center locations, Bergman said.
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