On average, over 25% of household trash is food scraps and wasted food. However, businesses vary widely in their food waste with some estimates as high as 50 percent by establishment for the restaurant industry. Knowing this, Holly Yonemura, Perham Health Nutritional Services Director, along with her team, made the commitment to recycle organic waste at Perham Health.

Why it is important to compost organic waste

Organic waste is rich in nutrients. Instead of burying it in a landfill, it can be recycled through composting. Composting transforms organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, which can then be used as a natural fertilizer for soil. This process helps conserve valuable resources and closes the nutrient cycle. Using compost in agriculture and landscaping supports sustainable practices and reduces the reliance on chemical fertilizers.

Landfills have environmental consequences, including the risk of groundwater contamination and soil pollution. By reducing the amount of organic waste in landfills, we can mitigate these negative impacts and promote a healthier environment.

Furthermore, landfills have limited space, and organic waste can take up a significant portion of that space. By diverting organic waste, we can extend the lifespan of landfills and reduce the need for additional landfill sites, which are often environmentally disruptive to establish.

Perham Health joins organics recycling pilot program

In January 2022, Perham Health collaborated with the Otter Tail County Recycling and Waste Disposal Department to participate in the Organics Recycling pilot program. The pilot program included about 30 businesses – including schools – and lasted for 16 months.

After equipment, supplies, and signage arrived on-site, Perham Health employees immediately applied themselves to the effort. The Nutrition and Food Services Department collected food scraps and compostable paper waste into a separate bin from other garbage. All food scraps – including meat, dairy, fish, and bones – along with food-soiled paper products, such as napkins and paper tissues, were accepted as organic waste.

Starting the project with the Waste Disposal Department was made easier with signage, collection bins, and educational materials. Steve’s Sanitation – the local collector of organic waste – provided a Q & A to assist Perham Health employees with recycling. Otter Tail County Public Information and Education Officer, Cedar Walters, kept program participants updated with information, online videos, through emails, and talking in-person.

“We estimated the first load (of organic waste) was about 3,000 pounds – and that was without a number of schools that had yet to start the pilot program,” Walters noted, updating participants after the first week of the pilot program.

According to Walters, after the first ten weeks of the program, 56,722 pounds of food waste was prevented from going into the landfill.

Eventually, the Otter Tail County Organics Recycling pilot program collected about 6,000 pounds of food waste a week and delivered it to the Glacial Ridge Compost Facility in Douglas County where it was turned into nutrient rich compost.

Moving Forward

Following the pilot program, Perham Health continues recycling its organic waste. The practice has now become commonplace for the nutrition services team.
According to Yonemura, “We currently collect about one to two bags per week. When it comes to the food we prepare, we educate our employees to first, repurpose any possible food within our own kitchen, such as reheating by safely following the USDA’s guidelines. Second, if the food cannot be repurposed, use the leftovers to feed others by offering it to our employees who may need it. Third, if it cannot be saved, use it to feed animals. Most of our food scraps and waste go home with employees for animal food (cows, pigs, and chickens). Finally, if it cannot be used for any of these things, we compost. It’s a beautiful process to help reduce the amount of waste in our landfills.”

Everyone can help

Otter Tail County residents have opportunities to do their part to reduce the impacts of wasted food and disposal of organic waste in landfills and waste-to-energy facilities. For example, residents can use a backyard compost bin. If backyard composting is not an option, food waste can be dropped off at the Perham Resource Recovery Facility or any other food waste drop-off site in Otter Tail County.

Signing up is as easy as 1-2-3.

STEP 1 – Sign up at ottertailcounty.gov/odo/.

STEP 2 – Collect food scraps and other compostable items using compostable bags or plain brown paper bags. ALL food scraps are accepted, including meat and bones.

STEP 3 – Drop off collected compostable waste in the green carts at the Perham Resource Recovery Facility, 201 6th Ave NE.

“Composting is a great way to give back to our earth by breaking down food waste into nutrient soil,” Yonemura said. “We actually had several employees who composted at their homes before the pilot project was initiated. They’re enthusiasm for food waste recycling helped to get our program off the ground. We encourage other businesses and families to give it a try.”

Holly Yonemura, Director of Nutritional Services

About Perham Health 

Perham Health is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital with three primary care clinics, a 96-bed nursing home, home health care agency, adult day services, memory care assisted living, and senior housing.  The medical staff consists of 24 physicians, a nurse midwife, 14 advance practice clinicians, and three chiropractors. Visit perhamhealth.org to learn more.