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4 HARTFORD BUSINESS JOURNAL | APRIL 25, 2022 | BUSINESS PROFILES F ood is the number one material thrown in the trash in the United States. Roughly 80 billion pounds are sent to incinerators and landfills each year. But, according to Sam King of Blue Earth Compost, food isn't waste. "It's actually a valuable resource." In operation since 2013, Hartford-based Blue Earth Compost Inc. is a family- owned company that helps grocery stores, restaurants, schools, hospitals and others to "green" their waste streams by providing food scrap collection services. Their customers are provided containers, training, and signage to sort their food scraps and Blue Earth helps turn it into renewable electricity and nutrient-rich compost for sale to homeowners and farmers. To help their customers tell the story, Blue Earth also offers customized environmental benefit reporting. Every year through Blue Earth's work, millions of pounds of wasted food that would have been trashed is now being put to a better use. "Food scraps don't belong in the trash. When thrown there, they pollute the environment and our communities. Composting this material is the best use for food that can't be eaten," King says. If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, according to the UN Environment Programme, which noted that unconsumed food accounts for an estimated 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Closer to home, businesses are worried about the impending closure of the Hartford incinerator operated by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) and the inevitable increase in waste prices that will go along with it. Blue Earth is positioning itself as a solution. King explains that the company has built its commercial service around the idea that, "you shouldn't have to pay more to do the right thing," he says. "We want to save our customers money on their waste service." Over the past eight years, Blue Earth has built a strong foundation based on reliability, cleanliness and quality customer service. "We are the largest food-scrap collection company in Connecticut and are a trusted vendor of our state's top universities, hospitals, and restaurants," King says. Those customers include Trinity College, Travelers, Stanley Black & Decker, Pfizer, Subway, ShopRite and Yale New Haven Hospital. In 2021, revenue jumped 44% over the previous year. To accommodate its rapid expansion, Blue Earth is planning to purchase additional vehicles and hire new employees as well as open a satellite location in Stamford this spring. One such vehicle, an electric delivery truck, is the first electric collection vehicle in Connecticut. "We have a goal of making our fleet carbon neutral by 2030," King says. Walking the walk on sustainability is another clear priority for the company. Blue Earth just recently attained Certified B Corporation status by meeting higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. "We're pretty excited about it," says King, noting that the requirements are fairly stringent. "Any business that cares about how their operations affect public health or the environment should consider composting," King emphasizes. "It's an easy and affordable way to do something very tangible and impactful." Turning Food Scraps into a Reusable Resource Address: 18 Midland St.; Hartford, CT 06120 Phone: (860) 266-7346 Website: www.blueearthcompost.com Product or Service: Compost Collection and Sales No. of Employees: 10 Head of Company: Alexander Williams, Sam King Year Founded: 2013 Alexander Williams, left, and Samuel King are co-owners of Blue Earth Compost.