Label
Food Waste Composting
Department of Public Service
Megan Robson (x2306)
Revised
Title
Authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful, the Toledo Metroparks, and Go Zero Services for the collection and composting of food waste; authorizing an agreement with Go Zero for one year with the option for a one-year renewal for food composting services; authorizing an expenditure from the General Fund; waiving the competitive bidding provisions of TMC 187; and declaring an emergency.
Body
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
The U.S. EPA estimates that 63 million tons of food waste is sent to landfills each year and that nearly half of this comes from individual households. In fact, Ohio landfills are up to 17% food waste, the largest everyday item in our garbage. In the landfill, as food waste slowly breaks down it creates methane, a greenhouse gas, contributing 10% to global greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste was its own country, it would be the 3rd largest contributor to greenhouse gasses. This food waste also takes up space. The life of the landfill can be extended by sending less material there.
Driven by the leadership of Councilmembers Gadus and Melden, the City of Toledo, Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful, and the Toledo Metroparks will start a residential food waste drop-off pilot for the city. Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful (KTLCB) will partner on this initiative, hosting educational workshops in each community that will have a drop-off location. Additionally, KTLCB will manage the distribution of composting buckets and the creation of educational signage and other materials. Three to four drop-off locations would be identified to host drop-off sites with GoZero servicing each location.
Summary
NOW, THEREFORE, Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor is authorized enter into an agreement with Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful, The Toledo Metroparks and GoZero for residential food waste drop-off pilot program.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $35,000 is authorized from the General Fund Account Code 1001-31000-4000524STDSTD for residential food waste drop-off pilot program.
SECTION 3. That the Mayor is authorized to enter into a contract with GoZero for residential food waste composting waiving the competitive procurement requirements of TMC Chapter 187 upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Directors of Law and Public Service.
SECTION 4. That this Council finds and determines that it is in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive procurement requirements of Toledo Municipal Code Chapter 187 for the reason that GoZero has been identified by Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful and the Toledo Metroparks as readily available to provide pilot program services at competitive cost.
SECTION 5. That the Finance Director is authorized to draw their warrant or warrants against the Account Code listed in Section 2 in payment of the above-authorized obligations upon presentation of properly approved voucher or vouchers in a total amount not to exceed $35,000.
SECTION 6. That this Ordinance, being an emergency measure, shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that it is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property, and for the further reason that the Ordinance must be immediately effective in order to ensure food waste disposal and composting services are available to the community.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas 10, nays 0.
Passed: May 2, 2023, as an emergency measure: yeas 10, nays 0.
Attest:
Gerald E. Dendinger Matt Cherry
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: May 2, 2023
Wade Kapszukiewicz
Mayor