Launch of East Hampton Compost: Transforming Food Scraps into Soil Food for a Green East Hampton
East Hampton, NY - July 11, 2023 - The Town of East Hampton, in collaboration with ReWild Long Island, is happy to announce the launch of East Hampton Compost, a community food scrap drop-off program. By participating, residents can actively contribute to a more sustainable East Hampton and transform food scraps into nutrient-rich compost that revitalizes our soils, reduces our carbon footprint, reduces stormwater runoff, and supports crucial pollinator populations.
For this summer’s pilot, East Hampton Compost will receive food scraps at two farmers markets. The ReWild Eco Table at the Springs farmers market will receive drop-offs each Saturday, 9am-1pm, July 15 - September 23. The Eco Table at the Sag Harbor farmers market will accept limited drop-offs each Saturday, 1-am-noon, July 22 - late September. Additional pop-up locations may be added.
Food scraps will be composted at the Town of East Hampton Recycling Center, ensuring that organic waste is diverted from the waste stream and instead transformed into valuable resources for our local environment.
East Hampton Town Board Member Cate Rogers expressed her enthusiasm for the launch of East Hampton Compost, stating, "This initiative is another step towards achieving our sustainability goals. By working together, we can make a tangible difference in reducing food waste and our carbon emissions and also preserving the natural beauty of East Hampton."
Join our community food scrap drop off program for a greener, more sustainable future. Together, we can create a lasting positive impact on our environment and enrich the health of our community.
Visit EastHamptonCompost.org to learn more about the program, register to drop off your food scraps or volunteer. For further inquiries, contact Gloria Frazee at EastHamptonCompost@gmail.com.
The top 5 environmental benefits of composting for East Hampton:
● Reduce waste in our community: Households in East Hampton throw out more than $20 million worth of food each year.
● Reduce greenhouse gases: Food waste in landfills release methane; incinerating them produces carbon dioxide. Plus, there’s CO2 from all the trucking.
● Improve soil quality: Compost returns nutrients and organic matter to our soils for healthier produce, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
● Save water & reduce stormwater runoff: Compost acts like a sponge, helping soil retain water, so you can use less water in your garden. It also helps absorb stormwater, preventing flooding and erosion that harm our waterways and beaches.
● Attract butterflies & birds: Compost helps build healthy ecosystems with the biodiversity and habitat required by butterflies, native bumblebees, fireflies and birds.
