waste

Food waste takes up space in landfills and produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Composting that waste can reduce climate impacts and save municipalities money on landfill fees, but concerns about bad smells and pests sometimes get in the way.

Kansas City began distributing new recycling carts earlier this month. But apartment buildings with seven or more units will not receive one, leaving these tenants with two options: take their recyclables to one of the city's drop-off locations, or to ask their landlord to contract with a third-party recycling company.

Kansas City is looking for ways to reduce the amount of trash it generates. Officials say a composting program could keep 52 tons of food waste out of landfills.

Despite pleas from community members who say the landfill is responsible for mysterious illnesses, federal environmental regulators said that they can’t provide a timeline for cleanup.

A potential new landfill in southeast Kansas City is on hold after City Council voted earlier this month to oppose it and put a moratorium on landfill permits. Now, a bill headed for the Missouri Senate would add a requirement that surrounding cities approve landfills within a mile of their borders.

Developers hoping to build a landfill along Route 150 in south Kansas City have hired 18 lobbyists in the hopes of stopping state legislation that could kill the project before they even formally propose their plan. “They’ve run a covert cloak and dagger-like operation,” Raymore’s mayor told a Missouri House committee in February.

Many of the cities and counties surrounding Kansas City have already passed legislation objecting to the construction of a new landfill on Route 150, citing threats to economic development, noise and odor pollution, and proximity to homes.

Surrounding cities have voiced opposition to a possible landfill in southeast Kansas City, Missouri. But the city continues to claim there are no plans for such a project. Plus: An Overland Park game café has become a home and hangout for "three generations of nerds."

Surrounding cities have voiced opposition to a possible landfill location in southeast Kansas City, Missouri, along Route 150 and 155th Street. Kansas City said there are no plans for this project, but Missouri representatives say an application could be filed soon.

Pete’s Garden, founded in 2019 by Tamara Weber, partners with caterers, restaurants and food service organizations to save unserved, prepared food that would otherwise be thrown out. Last year, they distributed 65,000 meals to families in Kansas City.

The city of Olathe recently launched a pilot program to compost food scraps from residents. While other governments around Kansas City haven't taken that step yet, there are still ways for residents to start composting and help divert food waste away from the landfill.

The state and its partners at the University of Missouri are monitoring 112 sites to see if viral particles are increasing and if new COVID variants are emerging in the region's wastewater.