Monroe County will host a ribbon‑cutting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Ocean Studies Charter School, 11‑27 Rock Harbor Drive in Key Largo, to formally launch a Food Waste Collection Pilot Project intended to divert organics from the local waste stream. The county says the pilot also will expand Keys‑wide recycling and composting education.

The pilot represents a targeted effort to reduce the volume of food and other organic waste reaching regional disposal facilities by separating and collecting those materials for alternative processing. For island communities like those that make up Monroe County, where transportation and limited landfill space make waste management particularly challenging, diverting organics can relieve pressure on collection and disposal systems and lower the environmental footprint of local solid waste.

Beyond its operational aims, the project places a strong emphasis on public education. County materials indicate that expanding recycling and composting education across the Keys is a core component of the pilot, signaling a shift toward more community‑centered waste practices. Schools, residents and businesses that participate in separate collection programs typically gain hands‑on experience with source separation and learn how organics can be transformed into compost rather than becoming a source of methane in landfills.

Environmental and economic consequences underscore the local stakes. Reducing organic waste streams can contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions from waste, improve the efficiency of municipal collection services, and generate a reproducible model for broader adoption across the Keys. For a coastal county reliant on tourism, fisheries and fragile ecosystems, better waste management aligns with ongoing efforts to safeguard water quality and natural resources that sustain the local economy and way of life.

The selection of Ocean Studies Charter School as the ribbon‑cutting site highlights the role that educational institutions can play in piloting sustainable practices and engaging students in environmental stewardship. If successful, the pilot could inform countywide policies and outreach campaigns designed to make composting and recycling more accessible across varied island communities, from densely populated centers to outlying keys.

Monroe County is inviting attention to the project as a step toward more resilient, locally appropriate waste strategies. The ribbon‑cutting ceremony on Nov. 13 will mark the public debut of the pilot program; more information is available on the county’s calendar page at monroecounty‑fl.gov.