At the December 16, 2019 Village Board meeting, Village officials approved a franchise agreement for a residential and commercial food scrap program that, beginning January 1, 2020, will be offered to Skokie residents by Collective Resource of Evanston. Skokie residents and business owners who subscribe to the new service will receive a five-gallon bucket or 32-gallon toter cart for separated food scraps. Customers will receive weekly or biweekly (every other week) collection. After collection, the food scrap is transported to a commercial composting facility. The service fee varies depending on container size and collection frequency. Through the franchise agreement, residents have access to a low-cost municipal program rate starting at $20.50 per month for the biweekly service. There is a three percent discount for one annual payment. An average family of four generates 37 pounds of food scrap each week that could be composted instead of sent to a landfill. For more information or to sign up for the program, visit: https://collectiveresource.us/composting-in-evanston-skokie/. Questions can also be directed to info@skokie.org or call Skokie Public Works at 847/933-8427.