Top: Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the formal launch of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons’ food scraps drop-off bins. Photo courtesy Bennett Compost

The Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late June to celebrate the formal launch of its community composting initiative that is  locating food scraps drop-off bins in the neighborhood surrounding its prison complex in Northeast Philadelphia. The PDP’s complex — which has six correctional facilities — has had an on-site composting facility for over 10 years. It was built to accommodate food waste generated by a population of over 8,000 inmates, but currently the complex has about 3,500 incarcerated persons. To utilize the facility’s capacity, PDP applied for a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection G-17 permit with assistance from Bennett Compost, PDP’s contracted composting services provider. The G-17 permit enables PDP to accept residential food scraps from the neighborhoods near the prison complex.

PDP procured six MetroSTOR “smart” bins that residents can access to drop-off their food scraps. Two bins are located at the driveway to the prison complex. One is being sited near a school in the neighborhood, and two others are at a sanitation convenience center nearby. Compost made by the prison will be offered to residents in the neighborhood for garden use. Bennett Compost has been assisting with outreach and engagement to residents in the neighborhoods near the complex who will have access to the food scraps drop-off bins. The containers have combination locks. To access the bins, residents fill out a form on Bennett Compost’s website and are given the code to unlock them. All food scraps are accepted, along with food-soiled paper, shredded cardboard, grass clippings, pine needles, houseplants and wood chips.