Town arranges for collection, composting of commercial food residuals

Bellport, New York

This community on Long Island has begun collecting and composting food residuals from all 13 restaurants and supermarkets in a diversion program directed by Bellport mayor Frank Trotta and a citizens Compost Committee. "The systematic program to compost food waste from commercial enterprises" is described in a recent EDF Letter, since members of the Environmental Defense Fund comprise the Compost Committee. EDF has been a leader internationally in focusing on major antipollution projects, so its involvement in composting has special potential for advancing organics utilization. Staff at restaurants, delis and supermarkets put food residuals in special containers that are transported by haulers to small-scale composting units (Earth Tubs) with capacity of 600 lbs/day. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation provided Bellport with a grant that covered part of program costs. A rough estimate indicates that the project will pay for itself in five years, if not sooner, through savings on tip fees at a local incinerator, notes the EDF Letter.