TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In Rensselaer County, two new programs aimed to reduce waste. A new compost pilot program in Troy was a success, according to the city, and the organizers for a county-wide tire recycling initiative are already planning on another installment.

Troy’s “From the Ground Up” pilot program kept over 50 tons of food scraps from landfills, which can add to pollution in local areas. The process of composting biodegrades organic waste into nutrient-rich soil.

The program roped in 250 households from across Troy. Now, households can subscribe to a monthly composting subscription for around $30 per month. For those who can’t swing the fee, Trojans can drop off food scraps for free at the expanded Troy Resource Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Sainato said that the city is looking for new grant funding to reimagine an inclusive citywide program. “In 2021, two weeks after I started working for the City of Troy, I wrote the grant application for a two-year curbside composting pilot program, and it has been my sincere pleasure to create and execute this program,” said Troy Recycling Specialist Naomi Pitkin.

Zooming out from Troy, the Rensselaer County Soil & Water Conservation District hosted a tire take back and recycling event on October 27. It was free for all county residents who could register and schlep their tires to the Capital District Sportsman Center in Cropseyville.

It was the first such event in county history, and organizers said it was a huge success. “This program was able to take almost 1000 used tires off of properties across the county!” the environmental conservation organization posted on social media.

They only accepted whole, full tires from cars and light trucks. They couldn’t take cut tires, rims, or the wheels of motorcycles, ATVs, tractors, or other heavy machinery. Even so, they are already planning another installment, and there’s already a waiting list.