Food waste is the largest category of trash going to landfills, according to an estimate from the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2018. Community composting operations are popping up in cities across the country hoping to keep that waste out of landfills and return nutrients to the soil. But not all cities are welcoming them, especially when neighbors complain about bad smells and pests. We report on how cities in the Midwest are handling these new operations.
Plus more on these stories:
- The two candidates for Wichita mayor participated in a debate last night that covered topics including public safety, development and the environment.
- Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is once again making her case for expanding Medicaid, but Republican leaders seem likely to continue opposing it.
- Kansans are getting $14.5 million dollars less in food assistance a month after the end of increased pandemic benefits.
- An influential member of the Kansas House of Representatives is stepping down.
- Farming practices that improve soil health might also have economic benefits for farmers, according to a study from the Soil Health Institute.
Producers: Beth Golay and Lu Anne Stephens
Editors: Beth Golay and Tom Shine
Contributors: Joe Blubaugh, Blaise Mesa, Suzanne Perez, Tom Shine and Eva Tesfaye
Theme music: Torin Andersen
Digital editor: Karlee Cooper