March 13, 2025: On February 12, 2025, SCRRRA hosted a virtual one year follow-up to the Regional Town Meeting held on December 6, 2023 at Camp Nett in Niantic, CT. Area municipal chief elected officials, directors of finance, key policymakers, state legislators and other dignitaries were invited to hear a presentation regarding the solid waste management crisis in the state of Connecticut, the progress that has been made since our last meeting, and how to help.

To watch the presentation, click here or see below:

To view the slide deck, click here or see below:

March 1, 2025: Connecticut’s Commercial Organics Recycling Law (CORL) requires businesses and institutions generating more than 26 tons of food waste a year to source-separate and recycle food waste, and to begin reporting on those efforts to CT DEEP on or before March 1st, 2025.

If you are a business or institution subject to this law, you will report your wasted food diversion efforts for 2024 electronically via this CT DEEP reporting form. The form is 18 questions, and summarizes the amount of edible food donated, the amount of food scraps recycled and the organics recycler or recyclers and associated collectors used.

For more information and support:

• CORL Reporting Requirements FAQ (Center for Ecotechnology)
• Commercial Organics Recycling Law Overview (CT DEEP)

February 3, 2025: Save the dates! SCRRRA’s 2025 Houshold Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection and paper shredding service schedule is now available.

Click to open:

• 2025 Schedule Rack Card
• Event Information & Safety Protocols

Please note the new limit for paper shredding: 7 boxes per vehicle, maximum.

November 4, 2024:

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Presented by the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority (SCRRRA)

OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING REGARDING: SCRRRA has proposed construction of a regional composting facility on the land it owns at 132 Military Hwy (Route 12) in Preston. The envisioned facility will create needed infrastructure for the composting of wood chips and food waste from our local communities, much of which is currently disposed of in the regular trash at very high expense. This facility will save Preston, and all SCRRRA’s 12 member towns, significant disposal costs, and produce a high quality, environmentally friendly soil amendment to replace manmade fertilizers. The project obtained approval from Preston Planning & Zoning in January 2024 and is currently pending permit approval from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

WILL BE HELD AT: SCRRRA,7 Hurlbutt Rd Suite O, Gales Ferry, CT 06335

ON: Monday, November 25, 2024 at 6:00 PM

PRIOR TO THE MEETING, INTERESTED PARTIES MAY RSVP ON WEEKDAYS, WITH RESPECT TO ATTENDANCE, TO: office@scrrra.org or (860) 381-5558

THE AGENDA FOR THE INFORMATIONAL MEETING WILL BE:

1. General introduction
2. Description of the proposed facility
3. Operational overview
4. Questions and answers

TO REVIEW PROJECT DOCUMENTS, PLEASE VISIT: www.scrrra.org/about/public-records

TO SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE WRITE TO US: office@scrrra.org

October 25, 2024: Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”): SCRRRA is seeking Statements of Qualification (“SOQ”) from experienced firms interested in providing food scrap customer solicitation and hauling, organics compost facility (“OCF”) management and operations, manufacturing expertise, marketing and product sales services, for the OCF being constructed by SCRRRA in Preston, CT.

To access the RFQ: https://www.scrrra.org/contact-us/rfp/

For information about the proposed SCRRRA compost facility: https://www.scrrra.org/compost-facility-project-update/

August 9, 2024: Have you seen us in Waste Advantage Magazine this week? Learn about SCRRRA’s regional compost facility project in the article linked below!

Waste Advantage Magazine: Desigining a Sustainable Municipal Compost Facility

Additional information:

• January Blog Post: Progress Toward a Regional Compost Facility
• Article in The Day: Preston could host first commercial food waste composting plant in the state (theday.com)
• Article in Waste Dive: Where USDA allotted $11.5M to 38 composting and food waste projects in 2023 | Waste Dive
• USDA CFWR Grant Awards Announcement: USDA Invests Approximately $11.5 Million in Composting and Food Waste Reduction Projects in 23 States | USDA

July 30, 2024: Ledyard residents! Did you know? “The [Ledyard] Town Council has approved the start of a free food scrap recycling pilot program that began Tuesday. Blue Earth Compost of Hartford will be placing food scrap collection bins at the town’s transfer station, located at 889 Colonel Ledyard Highway. The program is free to residents with a proof of residency. According to a news release, Blue Earth will collect the food scraps and haul them to Quantum Biopower, an anaerobic digester in Southington.”

See the full press release, article in The Day, and informational brochure below:

April 23, 2024: The SCRRRA team was delighted to spend the past weekend supporting two local Earth Day events: Groton’s Earth Day Expo and Ledyard’s “Fill the Dumpster!” cleanup event. See more below:

Article in the Day: Youth take charge at Earth Day Expo in Groton (theday.com)

Photos on Facebook: Ledyard Beautification Committee “Fill the Dumpster!” Cleanup Event

April 15, 2024: Are you familiar with Senate Bill 191: An Act Concerning Food Scrap Diversion from the Solid Waste Stream and the Redemption of Out-of-State Beverage Containers? This proposal would make food scrap recycling mandatory in Connecticut.

“Under the proposal, every municipality must establish programs by Jan.1, 2028, that require residents to separate food scraps, food processing residues and organic material from their trash for recycling at authorized composting facilities and other locations.

The bill would also add residentially generated food scraps to the state’s list of “Items Designated for Recycling” and require large waste generators to donate edible food before it becomes compost.

After passing through the Environment Committee last month in a 23 to 11 vote that fell on party lines, the proposal now awaits a vote in the Senate.”

Read more in the full Hartford Courant article: Connecticut sends its trash west. Here’s what lawmakers want you to do instead. (msn.com)

For a full list of key bills that SCRRRA is following this year, please see our Legislation Tracker.

February 1, 2024: The Preston Board of Selectmen has unanimously approved a new, free food scrap recycling pilot program to begin February 2, 2024. Blue Earth Compost, based in Hartford, will be placing food scrap collection bins at the Preston Transfer Station, located at 108 Ross Road. The program is free to all town residents with a Transfer Station sticker.

See the full press release and article in The Day, below: