Exploring new services to divert more waste now is a proactive approach to stave off the inevitable. Currently, we send valuable resources to the landfill. Developing new services or markets as well as fully and properly utilizing currently existing services and markets will help to use, the materials to their fullest potential instead, for the economic and environmental benefit of impacted communities. For example, reducing and diverting food waste creates the value-added material, compost, that can beneficially be used and sold locally, while saving space, and reducing the amount of emissions from landfills.

We implemented our first annual pumpkin drop this year. We partnered with Keep Durham Beautiful to provide "Pumpkin Drop" events at parks throughout the city. The pumpkins received were composted. The events were held on November 4 from 8 am until noon at: C.M. Herndon, Valley Springs, Rock Quarry, Merrick-Moore, Southern Boundaries, and Bethesda parks. Residents also dropped off pumpkins in the parking lot at the I.R. Holmes, Sr. Recreation Center at Campus Hills, and the Waste Disposal and Recycling Center. We continued to accept pumpkins at the Waste Disposal and Recycling Center through November 18.

As planned, we expanded the curbside food waste program,  with the first collection service for new participants set to occur on Friday 12/15. The total number of households now being served is ~ 440. 

We have begun planning and coordinating annual waste diversion events (for different types of materials) for each month of the year starting in the calendar year 2024.

We had a preliminary meeting with a vendor to explore smaller drop-off sites for textiles.