Testing At‑Home Food Waste Reduction Through a Community Pilot
FoodCycler Pilot Program – Loyalist Township
Role: Dan Hendry
Year: During tenure, 2020
During my time as Climate Action Coordinator for Loyalist Township, I led the development and implementation of the FoodCycler Pilot Program, an initiative designed to help residents reduce household organic waste through a practical, at‑home solution. The pilot was intended to test what works at a community scale and to gather real‑world data that could inform future waste diversion strategies.
In this role, I was responsible for creating and delivering the pilot from start to finish. This included securing grant funding and establishing a partnership with FoodCycler, a countertop unit that grinds and heats food waste into a dry, odour‑free soil amendment. The goal was to make food waste reduction easier and more accessible for residents, while reducing the amount of organic material ending up in landfill.
Photos supplied by: Loyalist Township (via Kingstonist)
The pilot was delivered twice, with 100 participating households per round over 12‑week periods. Through a combination of grant support and group purchasing, residents were able to purchase units at a significant discount. Participants incorporated the FoodCyclers into their daily routines, providing valuable insight into how this type of technology performs in real homes over time.
My responsibilities included grant writing, coordinating the group‑buy process, managing mass communications, developing participant surveys, and overseeing the overall delivery of the program across a diverse group of residents. Following each pilot, I collected and analyzed participant feedback and usage data to assess both waste reduction potential and user experience.
I also prepared formal reports for Township Council, summarizing the results of the pilots, resident feedback, and recommendations for next steps. These reports helped inform discussion around future waste diversion initiatives and explored how in‑home technologies might complement traditional composting and curbside programs.
The FoodCycler Pilot Program demonstrated that when residents are provided with the right tools, clear information, and supportive program design, they are eager to participate in climate action. For me, this project highlighted the value of piloting, listening, and learning using both data and community experience to shape practical, locally informed sustainability solutions.
Related Links & Media: https://www.kingstonist.com/news/loyalist-township-launches-foodcycler-pilot-project/ FoodCycler Pilot Program | Loyalist Township