If you want to simply drop off your food waste and forget about it, you need to find a composting drop off location. So where are the closest to me?
After doing my search, I was surprised to find that my city had already started a composting project. And apparently, my city is composting hundreds of thousands of pounds so far! I can’t believe how much we’re composting. I’m impressed by my city. The city even has a place where they are tracking this data.
So I now just need to know where to drop off, and what I can and cannot drop.
Where can I drop off?
Right there, first result of my internet search was “Composting Drop Off Locations”. To my great surprise, as of this date, there are 12 places I can drop my compostable waste.
I even got a MAP!
Jersey City has a bunch of community gardens!
There are also a number of community gardens. And a map to show you not only where they are, but some info about them when you click on the link. Address, contact, and…. composting operation information! Currently, not all of these gardens have the ability to take compostable material, or so the map doesn’t says. But these places are usually where you can get all the questions you had answered, by someone who probably was in your exact same position just a few years earlier and did all the hard work of gathering the information you are looking for already.
Map of Community Gardens in Chilltown Jersey City
What can I Drop off?
After locating where I can drop my compostable waste, now I need to figure out exactly what I can and can’t give them. This is my first time doing this. So I have no clue. Well, I have some clue. I have a good idea about what is compostable. But I don’t know what I don’t know. And I don’t want to break the rules and give something that isn’t actually compostable. Luck for me, my city actually provides a guide for me.
The basics of what is Compostable
Greens: (Nitrogen rich materials) Fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, eggshells, tea bags, grass clippings
Browns: (Carbon rich materials) Shredded newspaper, paper napkins, coffee filters, dried brown leaves, cardboard- cut into smaller pieces
What must I keep Out?
X Food cooked in oil or grease, pet waste, animal products (cheese, milk, meat, fish, bones), barbecue ashes
X Anything with toxic pesticides or herbicides
X All plastics, including “compostable” plastics
X Coffee cups, metal, waxed cardboard
X Edible food! – You should always make an effort to eat food before sending it to the compost. Need ideas for innovative recipes and storage tips to help you consume all the food in your fridge? Check out savethefood.com for helpful tips and pointers
Reduce pests with enclosed tumblers or bins, or line bin with wire mesh. Mix together regularly to circulate air. Store browns to add to new piles with multiple bins.
Composting Do’s and Don’ts
– DO chop materials into smaller pieces to speed up decomposition
– DO make sure you layer browns and greens, so that the materials don’t smell while decomposing
– DO keep ratio at approximately 3 parts browns to 2 parts greens
– DO always maintain with a top layer of browns
– DO turn and circulate air in your compost materials with a compost aerator or shovel
– DON’T put in weeds that have gone to seed.
– DO keep your compost materials moist, but not very wet
– DO add already finished compost or a compost accelerator to accelerate decomposition
– DO try to consume edible food like leftovers, food close to spoiling and edible parts like broccoli stems before composting
– DO learn about date labels before composting foods based on their use by or best by dates
Photo by Nareeta Martin on Unsplash
As I’ve been researching composting, I started separating out my compostable food into a zip lock bag. So I’m ready for my first drop off.
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