BBH first district to participate in Northeast Ohio composting operation

by Melissa Martin

Aug. 21 school board meeting

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights City Schools announced a partnership with Rust Belt Riders, a Cleveland-based, worker-owned composting cooperative whose mission is to “feed people, not landfills.”

Rust Belt Riders worker-owner Robert Kurtz told the school board his company is dedicated to food autonomy, climate resilience and making the world a better place by turning waste into soil. To do that, he has been offering commercial and residential composting solutions across Northeast Ohio since 2014.

As part of the program, food waste is picked up weekly from Northeast Ohio businesses and residences, as well as from bins located at 38 drop-off stations between Avon and Bainbridge Township. That organic material is used as the base for Tilth soil blends, a compost Rust Belt Riders produces and sells at area garden centers and a handful of businesses.

“We believe composting is something we can do that’s big enough, fast enough and cheap enough to have a meaningful impact in our region environmentally [by reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions],” Kurtz said, noting the company collects food waste from 300 business partners and 3,000 individuals.

In 2023, the company collected and diverted 6.5 million pounds of food waste from area landfills. By joining forces with Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools, Kurtz said Rust Belt Riders is seeking to extend its reach by collecting food scraps and other waste from the district’s food service operation.

Though BBH may be the first school district to partner with Rust Belt Riders, Kurtz said he is optimistic it won’t be the company’s last.

“This is a playbook we are writing, and we hope we can just copy and paste at surrounding school districts and start to have a larger environmental impact,” Kurtz said. “The value of this partnership can’t be understated. We’re setting a precedent, but we’re also [introducing] students to environmentally sound practices.”

Kurtz said students won’t be directly involved at first, but Rust Belt Riders plans to host a series of educational programs at the district’s three schools this school year to teach students the basics of composting and how they can help in the mission.

For now, participants in the district will be restricted to staff members in the schools’ food prep areas. The collection bins will be installed in the cafeterias’ refrigerator and freezer areas and will be picked up after school every Monday.

“We know our staff can be trained to do this properly [and make sure only the proper food scraps are placed in the compost bins],” said Brian Koss, the district’s facilities and safety coordinator. “Our goal is to eventually have students [separate their food waste] in the cafeterias as well.”

Kurtz said he believes that day will come sooner rather than later.

“When the time is right, I’m optimistic we can roll out a full program that is comprehensive for all three schools,” he said.

To increase the volume the schools contribute to the Rust Belt Riders’ program, the district has installed collection bins outside the board offices and outside BBH Elementary School so the public can contribute on a membership basis.

Kurtz explained that two 64-gallon bins (similar to trash cans) lined with biodegradable bags will be installed at both locations. Access to those bins will be restricted to members who agree to pay the $12 monthly fee to participate. Individuals who pay membership fees will receive a four-digit code to access the collection stations.

As the program builds, Kurtz said he hopes to increase the number of collection cans to four at each station. Like the receptacles inside the schools, the bins outside will be collected weekly.

As the number of participating residents increases, Kurtz said the school district will receive a discount on services provided by Rust Belt Riders. That discount is expected to be capped at 25% once 72 individuals or families sign up for the program.

As an additional benefit, Kurtz said the district and residents who participate in the program will also receive a 10% discount on the purchase of soil products.

Board member Ellen Kramer told residents she has been a longtime subscriber to the program and has been dropping off food waste at collection centers located near her job and at the nearby Brecksville Nature Center.

“I am super glad we are doing this,” she said. ∞