Residents Reap the Rewards of Food Scrap Recycling Program

Michelle Sterling and Ron Schulhof: Founders of the Food Scrap Recycling Program in ScarsdaleThe Village held it's annual Compost GIveback Day this past Saturday where residents were able to pickup compost made from our food scraps. Residents brought buckets, pails, boxes, and bags all day to the recycling center to pick up the compost to use on their plants and trees. The Village Food Scrap Recycling program has recycled over 600,000 lbs. of food scraps since launching in 2017. These food scraps are brought to a compost facility where they are mixed with wood chips and in just 90 days turn into useful compost. Compost is a soil amendment that provides food and nutrients to plants, shrubs, trees and lawns. Compost is mixed into the soil around these plantings.

Since Scarsdale launched the food scrap recycling program, 15 other towns around Westchester followed our lead and have launched similar programs. Scarsdale residents and students are now recycling food scraps in all Scarsdale schools, at home and at a number of houses of worship. To learn more or sign up for the food scrap recycling program, email composting@scarsdale.com.