The Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa is launching the Rural Compost Operations and Compost Use Training Project, which aims to teach attendees how to compost food waste, including best management practices and strategies to use compost to protect local water resources from pollutants and contaminants. The project is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service Solid Waste Management Grant Program. It aims to support rural communities in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin by providing on-site training. The goal of the project is to provide training in rural communities to manufacture compost from food waste and use it to protect water resources from pollutants that contaminate local rivers, streams and lakes. Onsite technical assistance, classroom instruction, hands-on training and field exercises will be provided in seven rural communities, according to a news release. The expected outcomes include improved local water quality, reduced pollutants and increased ecosystem health. Additionally, the project will provide networking opportunities, better solid waste management strategies and the potential for replication in other regions. The Rural Compost Operations and Compost Use Training Project will run through September 2025. Follow the waste reduction center’s Facebook page to keep tabs on the project and learn where the trainings will be held.
