Meet FRED -Food Residuals Enviromental Division

Our award-winning program know as the FRED Project, composts food waste, keeping 15,000 tons waste out of landfills in 2009. This amount is expected to increase to 20,000 tons this year. The collected food waste is mixed with yard waste to make our Nature Wise Compost.

FRED is short for Food Residuals Environmental Division.

According to the latest survey by Franklin & Associates, over 170,980 tons of food waste was land filled in the Kansas City metropolitan area in a single year.

The goal of FRED is to reduce the amount of food waste going into our landfills and recycle valuable organic resources. We pick up food wastes from public and private sector cafeteria operations, grocery stores, restaurants, and commercial food companies. We then recycle the food waste into compost. Any company with food or food production waste should inquire about participation.

What are the benefits of the FRED program?
•Be a role model for others in the community—It’s the “green” or environmentally friendly action to take
• Educates our present and future community decision-makers about the importance of responsible solid waste disposal and the environmental advantages of recycling recovering resources (including those currently put in your trash), and composting.
• Develops a sense of pride within the community through environmental leadership and education.
• Potentially reduce your solid waste disposal costs, position your facility/company as “green” or

environmentally friendly, and reduce potential future liabilities associated with landfilling.

How does the FRED program work?
• Special containers, some lined with biodegradable bags will be placed in cafeterias or other selected areas for collection of food or food production waste.
• Non-compostable items will continue to be disposed of in the regular trash.
• The food waste will be picked up as needed and taken to MOR for composting.
• EC&D will provide training and education to fit your specific needs and allow food wastes to be recovered and recycled efficiently and cost effectively from your waste stream.

Who can participate?
• EC&D can perform a specific waste audit to determine potential recovery, recycling and/or savings that can be achieved by your participation in the FRED Program.

Set an example in the community by keeping food wastes out of our landfills and recover a valuable organic resource through participating in the FRED Program. FRED is offered by Missouri Organic Recycling & Environmental Concepts & Designs, Ltd., with funding assistance provided by the Missouri Department of

Natural Resources.