“Buckets to Healthy Soil” composting project

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - From buckets, to healthy soil. That’s the name of the new program unveiled by the Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. Director Randy Martin says their main goal is to give back to the soil.

“It’s a grant that we received from the Maine DEP. It’s called a waste diversion grant. We’re trying to divert compostable material from the landfill and then put that back in the soil to improve soil health.”

Through this program, people are given a 5-gallon bucket to take home and fill with kitchen scraps.

“Not paper, paper towels stuff like that. Just scrape your plates off, your carrot peelings, potato peelings. There can be meat products in there. Bones and stuff because we’re going to bring that out to a DEP approved site, and it will be composted. When it’s composted it will dissolve bones and everything.”

Martin says this is a community effort.

“We’re working with Irving Forest products; they’re providing the wood products for composting. We’re working with SAD 1 school farm because the soil at the farm is quite poor so a lot of the compost will go there. We want this to be successful because 8% of all waste that goes into the landfills is kitchen waste. So, if we can pull that out the landfills will last much longer.”

To get involved, go to the Presque Isle farmers market on Saturdays, provide your name, phone number and email address. After filling your bucket, Martin says when you bring the kitchen scraps, they will replace the old bucket for a new one. For more information call the Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation district.

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