East Hampton Town's composting pilot program yielding big results

A recent composting pilot program in East Hampton Town generated 2,782 pounds of food waste in a few months' time, according to its founder, who wants to continue the effort.

Volunteers with East Hampton Compost collected food scraps at farmers markets in Springs and Sag Harbor from July through September, according to program founder Gloria Frazee.

“It feels as if we built a compost community,” she told legislators during a recent East Hampton Town Board meeting.

Participants overcame an early "learning curve" to provide “clean” scraps free of stickers or other contaminants that otherwise needed to be sorted, Frazee said.

The program founder said she believes the “tiny pilot” made a "big difference” in its goal to reduce food waste, create nutrient-rich soil and educate residents on how to minimize their carbon footprint. She said in an interview that the goal is for the program to resume in the spring if the town board continues its support.

Councilwoman Cate Rogers said during the meeting that the program “far exceeded every single goal that was set.”

Rogers said in an interview the board is discussing how they can keep the program going. She said she hopes to make a future program less dependent on volunteers, since so much of the work at each site fell upon Frazee.

Members of about 50 households consistently participated, according to Frazee.

If the program continues, she hopes to add more drop-off locations for scraps at sites like supermarkets and farm stands, or even yoga studios or houses of worship, she said.

Rogers said she's researching drop-off locations in other towns where sanitation departments pick up scraps and bring them to a compost pile.

Frazee also said she’s developing a composting education curriculum that can be used for presentations in schools.

The pilot was a collaboration involving East Hampton Town and ReWild Long Island — a nonprofit that promotes sustainability practices — along with other groups and schools.