Ohio Indie Group Gets State Composting Grant

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Grocers Foundation (OGF), the philanthropic arm of the Ohio Grocers Association (OGA) here, said it has received a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to develop a Composting and Diversion Guide to help store managers to develop and implement in-store food waste collection programs.

Thomas Jackson, OGA's president and c.e.o., said the program is in line with "OGA's goal to encourage and position the Ohio grocery industry to be a part of an effective, environmental initiative."

Jackson said the benefits to grocers in composting and diversion include economic savings by reducing solid waste disposal costs, environmental advantages from reductions in methane gas and soil replenishment, and positive public image resulting from increasing public interest in environmentally sound initiatives.

In addition, the OGF and ODNR are working together on a pilot food waste disposal program, which includes OGA members and local composting facilities.

The pilot program will help the participating grocers to do an economic analysis of their current waste generation and also to identify a collection system, composting facility and hauler.

The pilot program will run through the end of 2007, and the Composting and Diversion Guide will be available to OGA members in 2008.
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