Acme Fresh Market in the Portage Lakes is working with high school students to keep more of its garbage out of landfills.
The company began a composting program in January.
Carrie Soful, a biology teacher at Manchester High School, reached out to Acme after she saw old cucumbers being tossed in the garbage by workers at the store.
She said students are working with the company to compost about 100 pounds of waste each week, but she wants to go bigger.
“So, my hope for next year is that we increase it. We take it to 200 pounds a week," Soful said. "I’m like ‘Ah, I want to get more of it!’ But we have to make sure we can accommodate what we get.”
The school plans to continue the program next school year.
Soful said they will try to sell the compost to support the program. As part of the program, some of the expired food is given to a local farmer to use as feed.
