Pleasantville To Hold Forum On Food Scrap Recycling Program

PLEASANTVILLE, NY — Pleasantville has undertaken yet another way to become more sustainable as a community — its food scrap recycling program. To encourage more participants, organizers will hold a forum Thursday at the Mount Pleasant Library to go over the basics — and a raffle for a starter kit.

The program started in October and is modeled on the Scarsdale effort, which started in 2017 and has now grown to include curbside pickup.

How does it work?

The concept is that you stow your food waste separately instead of in your all-purpose garbage. It's no smellier an operation.

You collect food waste in a small pail (on the countertop or in a drawer or cabinet, lined if you want with a paper or other kind of compostable bag), put the filled bags in a transportation container, and take what you've accumulated weekly to the DPW on Village Lane on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"It is going well with more people joining each week," said Helen Meurer. "The kudos for starting the program go to Virginia Pancotti, Pat January, Dan Turner and Kim Turner – who are fellow member of PleasantvilleRecycles. The chairperson is Danelle Barry-Gass."

Why is it good?

Composting lessens the need for landfills, incinerators and other ways of handling vast amounts of trash. It improves soil, increasing plant growth, sequestering carbon, helping to mitigate climate change. Learn more from Environment America.org.

What is accepted?

• Fruits and Vegetables (remove stickers, bands, and ties)
• Meat and Poultry (bones OK)•Fish and Shellfish (shells OK)
• Dairy Products
• Bread and Pasta
• Rice and Grains
• Eggshells
• Chips and Snacks
• Nuts and Seeds
• Leftover and Spoiled Food
• Coffee Grounds (paper filters OK)
• Tea Bags (remove staples)
• Paper Towels and Napkins
• Cut Flowers
• Compostable Bags (no plastic bags)

You can hear more about it starting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the library. Attendees will be entered into a raffle for a handy compost kit — counter top pail and transport pail (value $25).