AVONDALE ESTATES, Georgia (April 7, 2025)
On Monday, April 7, Avondale Estates residents participating in the popular, complimentary curbside composting program received word that the program will be halted indefinitely after this week’s pickup. Last year, the city of Avondale Estates was awarded $323,800 through a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreement to pilot curbside composting at city households. The USDA grant funding for this 12-month pilot program provided households with a seven-gallon food scrap bin serviced weekly by CompostNow. Due to recent federal policy changes, the funding has been frozen for an undisclosed period. The pause in fund distribution stems from the executive review of federal spending and grant programs nationwide, which has affected many climate, food systems and sustainability-focused programs.
In the absence of federal funding, the city and its partners are unable to continue providing curbside composting at no cost to residents. City staff continue to monitor the situation and are hopeful that funding will be reinstated so the complimentary service can resume as soon as possible.
The last week of free composting pick-ups will occur this week (the week of April 7) on regularly scheduled days.
Participating residents have two options:
- Return the compost container to the curb on their normally scheduled service day during the week of April 14 or
- Subscribe with CompostNow to continue composting services without disruption for $29 monthly. Residents choosing to continue service must register online and may cancel anytime by emailing CompostNow.
Five hundred thirty-four households participated in the pilot program, which began in mid-August 2024. In the eight months of collection, 80,243 pounds of waste were kept out of the landfill. The compost generated through the program was intended to be distributed by Food Well Alliance and Roots Down to local growers in DeKalb County and local library gardens and orchards to support edible landscapes.
CompostNow, DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry, Food Well Alliance and Roots Down are partnering with the city on this first-of-its-kind program in Georgia.