Permanent Composting Program Sought In Vienna After Farmers Market Success

VIENNA, VA — Following a successful composting pilot program at the Vienna Farmers Market last year, the Vienna Conservation and Sustainability Commission is pushing for a permanent program to divert food waste from landfills.

In 2024, the Vienna Farmers Market hosted a composting program. Veteran-owned business Veteran Compost provided staffing and bins at the farmers market, and compost materials were taken to its farm. The vendor was tasked with collecting metrics on how many people bring compost and how much compost is collected.

On Monday, members of Vienna Conservation and Sustainability Commission's told Vienna Town Council that the program drew significant participation.

"Over 26 weeks, hundreds of community members took advantage of the opportunity to drop off food scraps to be turned into nutrient rich soil and most importantly, to prevent these scraps from ending up in the town's waste stream," said Patricia Esswein, chair of the Conservation and Sustainability Commission. "The pilot program diverted more than 13,000 pounds of scraps from the incinerator, which in the end, saved town taxpayers considerable tipping fees.

However, Esswein told Patch that the pilot program isn't happening again. Commission members are advocating for a permanent program, touting the environmental benefits of composting rather than throwing out food in the regular trash. Esswein said that the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church have permanent composting programs.

Esswein said the commission has found suitable vendors for a permanent program and has received supportive emails and calls from residents. Possible sites to host the program are near the Mill Street purple recycling bin and the Northside Property Yard. Esswein estimated it would cost the town $9,100 to collect ten 65-gallon composting bins each year. Because the town pays $79 per ton in tipping fees for trash collection, Esswein believes a composting program could save thousands of dollars.

"Reducing the volume of solid waste collected through food waste, composting, is a part of the town strategic plan and comprehensive plan," said Esswein. "This initiative will help fulfill those goals with minimal expense of under $10,000 annually, and promote a sustainable solution."

In a statement to Patch, Town Manager Mercery Payton said funding a composting program will be at the discretion of Town Council.

"The decision regarding whether to adopt and fund a permanent composting program for the Town of Vienna is in the Town Council’s purview," Payton said. "The FY 26 Town Budget is in the early stages of development, and the Town Council will consider requests from all Town departments, boards and commissions before voting on a final budget plan at its regular meeting on May 19, 2025."