The City of Traverse City’s Compost and Food Waste Reduction pilot program, in partnership with SEEDS and Carter’s Compost, has celebrated its inaugural year and will be hosting a tour. Representatives from the City of Traverse City, Carter’s Compost (collection service), SEEDS (processing), and the State of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy (EGLE; economic development) will share the challenges and successes of this blossoming Public-Private Partnership.

Get a peek at the new “Peel Mobile”, Carter’s Compost’s all-electric vehicle that is adding capacity as they continue to grow their services in the area. The in-vessel system can process up to 100 tons of food waste annually and represents a significant step toward the greener future envisioned by the statewide Materials Management Planning process.

This effort also aligns with the City of Traverse City’s first Strategic Action Plan, adopted in 2025, which includes as a key action item: Developing a comprehensive region-wide sustainability plan focused on climate mitigation and adaptation through collaboration. The pilot highlights the power of collaboration, showing how the City and its partners are transforming long-term goals into real, measurable outcomes, one step at time.

This event is part of the Michigan Organics Council’s Great Michigan Compost Tour. Food rescuers, animal feed operators, and composters across the state are hosting tours to highlight how surplus food, yard waste, and food scraps are rescued to feed hungry people or transformed into valuable animal feed or soil amendments. The other tours in our Northern Michigan region are featured in this event series.

Organizer Note: Most tours take place outdoors, so we advise participants to dress in weather-appropriate layers.