NYC Sanitation celebrates Food
Scrap Drop-off sites
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 66 EC. 24-30, 2021 BTR
Since July 1, these sites
have diverted 1.8 million
pounds of material from
landfi lls.
“DSNY is absolutely
committed to getting
compostable material
out of landfi lls, and part
of that is making composting
accessible to all.
We’re proud to work with
GrowNYC, the NYC Compost
Project, and other
partners to operate over
200 sites, spread across
the fi ve boroughs,” said
Edward Grayson, commissioner
of the NYC Department
of Sanitation.
GrowNYC President
and CEO Marcel Van
Ooyen added, “We are
thrilled to celebrate this
moment with the New
York City Department
of Sanitation, and we’re
grateful for their leadership
regarding the
City’s zero waste goals,”
said GrowNYC President
and CEO Marcel
Van Ooyen. “In support
of these goals, we aim to
make composting second
nature to all New
Yorkers through the operation
of residential
food scrap drop-off sites.
This work is so impactful,
as composting food
scraps is one of the easiest
ways that New York
City residents can help
combat climate change,
diverting organic materials
from landfi lls and
transforming them into
nutrients for our soil to
grow more healthy, local
food.”
“The compost program
at New Roots is a
vital component in our
efforts towards sustainability
and environmental
justice in the South
Bronx. Our 0.5-acre farm
heavily relies on the
use of compost as a soil
amendment that contributes
to the soil and
crop health. Since the
farm’s inception we’ve
encouraged our farm
community to compost
the organic waste of the
farm and their own food
scraps to build our onsite
compost program.
Through our Tuesday
farmer’s market we open
this opportunity for anyone
in the community
to drop off food scraps.
We have seen how more
and more folks have embraced
composting as a
normal part of their routine.
It was therefore a
natural addition for farm
to become a major drop
off site,” said Maria Sigalas,
International Rescue
Committee (IRC)
economic empowerment
manager. “We want to
see more of this and
greater growth for composting
throughout the
Bronx and NYC.”
The celebration occurred
at New Roots
Community Farm, an
IRC project operated in
partnership with the
New York Botanical Garden
and GrowNYC.
-Bronx Times
The New York City
Department of Sanitation,
the nation’s largest
municipal waste organization,
GrowNYC, and
the NYC Compost Project
hosted by the New York
Botanical Garden celebrated
Friday, Dec. 17,
the realization of a promise
made in Mayor Bill
de Blasio’s 2021 Earth
Day announcements: the
opening of more than 200
community-based Food
Scrap Drop-off sites at
which New Yorkers can
bring food waste and
other organic material
to be turned into fertilizer
or high-quality compost.
While these sites
were closed across the
city during the COVID-19
pandemic, the number
open today is signifi -
cantly higher than before
the crisis, giving a
greater number of New
Yorkers in every neighborhood
a chance to reduce
the material they
send to landfi lls.
Up to one-third of the
New York City wastestream
may be compostable,
but when material
is sent to landfi lls instead,
it releases harmful
methane gas. Improper
disposal can also
attract pests, a problem
alleviated by the Food
Scrap Drop-off sites.
The NYC Department of Sanitation celebrated Dec. 17 the
opening of more than 200 community based Food Scrap
Drop-off sites. Photo courtesy make compost.nyc