New incentive program aims to keep food scraps out of Summit County landfill

Free pickup available for new customers as community pushes toward ambitious 2030 goal

SUMMIT COUNTY — Those banana peels and leftover lasagna taking up space in Summit County’s landfill may soon have a new destination, thanks to a partnership between Park City Community Foundation and county officials.

The two organizations just launched an incentive program to expand the Zero Food Waste movement across Summit County, with the ambitious goal of eliminating food waste from the local landfill by 2030. Free incentives are available for new residential customers and existing customers until funds run out, so locals interested in joining the movement may want to act fast.

Free food waste pickup through 2025

New residential customers living in Summit County within Momentum Recycling’s service area can use a promo code that covers the cost of weekly curbside service after paying a one-time startup fee — $25 for the 5-gallon bin or $50 for the 16-gallon bin. Standard pricing starts at $19.50 per month.

Current Momentum Recycling customers aren’t left out of the deal. They’ll receive two free months of service for each successful referral. New customers just need to enter the referring customer’s name and phone number during signup for Momentum Recycling to apply the credit.

Tackling a costly problem

The numbers behind Summit County’s food waste problem are staggering.

“Food waste takes up nearly 50% of the air space at the Summit County landfill, which is both costly and environmentally harmful,” said Tim Loveday, solid waste superintendent at Summit County.

“We’re proud to partner with the Community Foundation to support the Zero Food Waste initiative as part of our larger diversion program and to align with the County’s long-term sustainability goals.”

The county approved the partnership with Park City Community Foundation this spring through a grant matched by the Community Foundation’s Climate Fund.

“Having the County’s support is essential to expanding the Zero Food Waste movement across Summit County,” said Andy Hecht, Climate Fund manager at Park City Community Foundation.

Early results show promise

Since the Community Foundation launched the Zero Food Waste initiative in June 2024, the program has gained serious traction across Summit County and the Wasatch Back. Nearly 1,200 households have joined in just one year, diverting more than 700 tons of food waste from the landfill.

Those numbers translate to real environmental impact: The program has deferred more than $93,000 in landfill costs and prevented the release of 23 tons of methane — equivalent to taking more than 152 cars off the road for a year.

For a community that values both environmental stewardship and smart spending, those results offer a compelling case for expansion as organizers work toward their 2030 zero-waste goal.

Learn more and sign up on Park City Community Foundation’s website.