Tucson will begin a pilot food waste collection and composting program.

The city’s Environmental Services Department initially will target 16 commercial businesses currently served by the University of Arizona Compost Cats, according to a news release. The goal is to collect food scraps from local restaurants and grocery stores.

The city will deliver food scraps to a compost facility operated by Compost Cats on land owned by the Tohono O'odham Nation as part of an intergovernmental agreement with Compost Cats signed earlier this year to divert food scraps and green waste.

The compost produced is sold at Farmer’s Markets and used by the Tohono Nation and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

With the pilot program the Tucson department will determine whether the commercial businesses in question generate enough food scraps to develop a cost-effective collection program.

Initially, food scrap collection will occur twice a week, and the city may add more days as demand grows.