Montana city approves compost facility improvements

The Missoula, Montana, city council has approved up to $8.5 million in work to improve Garden City Compost, a city-run composting facility.

As reported by NBC Montana, the project is partially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The composting site, which was purchased from EKO Compost in 2016, is considered by the city a “transitional facility.”

Logan McInnis, with the city’s Public Works Department, told council members last week the improvements would bring the facility into compliance with state law.

“State law requires composting to be done on impervious surfaces, but we were granted some period of time to continue composting on basically gravel that could leech into the ground,” McInnis says.

The funding will provide Garden City Compost with new bays for composting, biofilters to reduce odors and controls for stormwater runoff.

ARPA funding will cover half the cost, $4.7 million. Loans from the state revolving fund cover the remaining amount.