GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The City of Grand Rapids has officially launched Renew Grand Rapids, a citywide food scrap pilot program that will convert residents' organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, in a move the city says marks a first for the state.

The program, now live, makes Grand Rapids home to Michigan's first fully municipal-owned and operated compost program. The Public Works Department now manages collection, composting and distribution entirely in-house.

Residents across all three city wards can sign up and begin dropping off food scraps at any of seven secure, Bluetooth-enabled bins placed in locations the community helped choose.

A first-of-its-kind municipal program

The pilot represents a milestone for the Public Works Department, which says it built the system from the ground up in less than an year after forming an internal Organics Diversion Innovation Team in 2025 to test and refine food scrap collection strategies.

"We're incredibly proud of the innovation and teamwork that brought Renew Grand Rapids to life," said John Gorney, public works director. "Less than a year after we began shaping the concept, we're launching a program that is equitable, accessible and built directly from community feedback. Our internal pilot diverted more than 5,000 pounds of food scraps in 2025, and the lessons learned helped us design a system that works for residents citywide."

The city estimates that organic material makes up 35 to 40 percent of the municipal solid waste generated in Grand Rapids — roughly 13,000 tons per year. When landfilled, food waste produces methane, a greenhouse gas the city notes is 28 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

How residents participate

Enrollment is open to any city resident. After signing up through the city's app or website, participants can unlock bins via Bluetooth, or use a keypad for those without a smartphone. Participants select the appropriate bin in the app, press "open," and have 25 seconds to deposit their scraps.

Bins are spread across all three wards:

• Ward One: Lincoln Park, Garfield Park, Public Services Center
• Ward Two: Fulton Street Farmer's Market, Riverside Park
• Ward Three: MLK Park, MacKay-Jaycees Park

Compost produced from the collected material will later be redistributed to residents at no cost. The Public Works Department has folded bin service into existing routes and is hosting "open hours" for residents seeking enrollment help, beginning Monday, Aug. 24 and continuing through Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 1500 Scribner Avenue NW.

Residents may also participate in Kent County's separate food scrap program, which operates within the same app.

A community-driven climate effort

The launch advances one of 20 priority actions in the city's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. City leaders say the idea traces back to community engagement sessions as early as 2023, when residents began requesting a food scrap collection option.

"Residents have been asking for a food scrap collection option since our Climate Action and Adaptation Plan engagement sessions as early as 2023," said Annabelle Wilkinson, chief sustainability officer. "By converting food scraps into high-quality compost, we're not only reducing waste, we're actively addressing climate change. This is about giving 13,000 tons of organics a second life and building a healthier future for Grand Rapids."

To enroll or learn more, residents can visit the program's website or call 616-456-3000 or 311.