Are you interested in helping Lincoln County cut down on its food waste? Drop your food scraps off at Lincoln County Recycling and get compost in return.

Food is the largest type of waste with 33 million tons annually being combusted or going into municipal landfills and incinerators. The average person throws away 20 pounds of food every month. The program, which will run for an interim 60 to 90 days at the Lincoln County Recycling Center, is looking for participants in Wiscasset or surrounding towns.

Participants will be asked to collect their food scraps in a bucket provided by Lincoln County Recycling, and drop them off on at least a bi-weekly basis.

The first 25 committed individuals to sign up for this program will receive a five gallon bucket with locking lid to collect their food scraps in. Applications are available online at the Lincoln County website (lincolncountymaine.me) or at the Recycling Center.

On Saturday, July 20 from 9 to 10 a.m., Mark King of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection Sustainability Unit will be available to discuss food recovery, storage, delivery to Lincoln County Recycling and explain what happens to the compost afterwards. Buckets will be available at that time.

Acceptable food program materials include all fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds & paper filters, eggs & eggshells, cheeses, meat scraps, seafood and shells, and trimmings (floral, grass, weeds).

Food scraps can be dumped at Lincoln County Recycling, Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m. Lincoln County Recycling is located at 54 Huntoon Hill Road, Wiscasset.