Camden County officials say that they hope that a new pilot program will help them to become more sustainable by composting the county’s food waste.

Camden County Freehold Louis Capelli Jr. says that the program will be tested at various sites around the county.

“Our facilities generate anywhere from six to eight tons a month in food waste,” he says.

The freeholder says that by composting the waste, it will help to cut down on the amount of trash headed to the landfill.

“This is an area we identified where we feel there’s a pretty easy solution to putting tons of food into the waste stream where it can be used better if diverted in a much more sustainable way,” Capelli says.

Currently out for bids, the pilot program will include four county facilities - the jail, juvenile detention center, technical school and Camden County College. The facilities will begin separating food waste from regular trash.

"The food waste will be stored in 55-gallon containers. It will be set aside behind the facilities. The vendor will come to pick up the food and then deliver it to the recycling composting facility,” Capelli says.

The pilot program is expected to last one year. Capelli says that if it is successful, it could be expanded to other county agencies.

Bids for the project are expected next week. The Board of Freeholders is expected to pick a vendor for the composting program at its March meeting.