A new collaboration between the City of Phoenix and Mill aims to increase food recycling participation at City Hall. Recently, more than 25 Mill food recyclers were installed across Phoenix City Hall and the Calvin C. Goode Building. The kitchen devices quietly and odorlessly dry and dehydrate food scraps into a nutrient-rich material that resembles coffee grounds, which later get turned into compost for local farms.
"Having Mill food recyclers in nearly every break room of the City Hall campus is a great way to engage staff in efforts to achieve our food waste diversion goals," said Amanda Jordan, Phoenix's Circular Economy Project Manager. "We hope to lead by example as we encourage our residents to find better ways to repurpose food waste and scraps."
The collaboration, which is the nation’s largest deployment of Mill food
recyclers across local government buildings, also includes regular collection of the grounds by R.City -- a local, full-circle produce farm that puts the resulting compost right back into its crops.
Mill’s first-of-its-kind measurement tools -- including an in-device measurement system, in-app feedback reporting, and customizable quarterly reports -- offer new opportunities for Phoenix to track and reduce wasted food over time. These important measurement tools enable behavior change and can help track progress toward the City’s goal of diverting 50% of waste from landfills by 2030.
“Tackling food waste is good for homes, communities, and city-wide infrastructure,” said Harry Tannenbaum, Cofounder and President of Mill. “We’ve invested significantly in Phoenix over the past year, and it’s inspiring to see the City take on a leadership role in the fight against wasted food. Phoenix is showing the country how food recycling can be simple and impactful.”
Why it matters
Arizonans waste about $9.5 billion worth of food each year. That food ends up in landfills. Food waste in its regular form is about 80% water, which makes it very heavy. Removing it from the normal trash stream lightens the loads of garbage trucks, which contributes to lower greenhouse gas emissions and road wear.
Additionally, when food gets buried in landfills, it decomposes and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. The collaboration between Mill and the City of Phoenix cuts landfill waste, lowers emissions, and strengthens the local food system.
Phoenix residents can also get involved in their own kitchens. Those who join Mill and R.City in the subscription-based food waste recycling program will also receive either a box of farm-fresh produce or a bag of compost every quarter. Try it for free for 30 days or learn about other composting options available through the Public Works Department.
