Westchester County To Break Ground On The Compost and Education Center In Valhalla

**Please note this event has been postponed today due to weather.**

County Executive George Latimer will join Westchester County’s Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF), Solid Waste Division, to break ground on the Compost and Education Center (CompostED) in Valhalla. 

Monday, November 30

12:30p.m.

Watch on https://www.facebook.com/westchestergov/ or  twitter.com/westchestergov

CompostED will be a small-scale food scrap composting demonstration and education site. The site will provide educational opportunities for County residents, students, and municipal officials on the environmental benefits of composting, the process of composting, and explore the ability of local municipalities to incorporate food scraps into existing organic yard waste composting sites. Westchester-based R. Pugni and Sons, Inc. will be constructing the facility for the County.

Latimer said: “CompostED and the educational opportunity it will bring, is the next step in my commitment to addressing food waste.  We urge all of our residents and businesses to first reduce waste, then donate excess food to organizations serving those in Westchester who are food insecure. However, for food scraps that cannot be donated, recycling is the best option. This facility will promote food scrap recycling and educate residents, students and municipal officials on implementing it.”

Backyard composting is one way residents can recycle food scraps, and municipal participation in DEF’s Residential Food Scrap Transportation and Disposal Program (RFSTAD) is another way. Under RFSTAD, Refuse District municipalities have access to transportation and disposal of residential food scraps for the same—or less—than disposing of the material as solid waste.

Even during these challenging times, the County and DEF have continued their commitment to the County’s residents and the environment. 

DEF Commissioner Vincent Kopicki praised the project adding, “The CompostED facility will raise awareness about food scrap recycling through composting, and will add to the County’s already robust recycling education portfolio. With the support of County Executive Latimer, my Solid Waste team has shown great initiative and effort to imagine and bring this facility to fruition.”

Deputy Commissioner Louis Vetrone noted: “DEF’s Solid Waste Division has developed programs to make food scrap programs accessible for all municipalities, and modified existing programs such as our Household Recycling Days and Shredder Events for safe access. The increased amount of recycling that has been processed during the COVID-19 pandemic shows that County residents have reinforced their commitment to recycling, and we are thankful for the County Executive’s leadership and support in our efforts.” 

For more information on Westchester County environmental programs and events follow us on Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/WestchesterCountyDEF, visit www.westchestergov.com/recycling, or call the Recycling HelpLine at (914) 813-5425.