Bedford celebrates 10 years of community composting

BEDFORD, N.Y. - Ten years ago, Bedford’s banana peels, coffee grounds and leftover dinners mostly ended up at the Peekskill incinerator along with the rest of the town’s trash.

Today, thanks to hundreds of local households and small businesses participating in food scrap programs, an estimated 491 tons of food scraps have been diverted from the waste stream and turned into compost for gardens, farms, parks and landscapes.

The Town of Bedford and Bedford 2030 are celebrating a decade of partnership on food scrap diversion, a milestone made possible by community participation. The anniversary also coincides with the completion of a five-year, $37,422 grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that helped pilot new ways to make composting easier.

“Food scraps aren’t garbage. They’re a resource that can be turned into nutrient-rich soil,” said Bedford Town Supervisor Ellen Calves. “Over the past 10 years, our community has shown that small, everyday actions can add up to a meaningful collective impact. We’re proud of what Bedford residents have accomplished and encourage more residents, schools and local businesses to participate.”

Making Composting Easier

Bedford launched its Community Compost drop-off program in 2017, giving residents a free, convenient way to separate food scraps from regular trash. Accepted materials include fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, meat, fish, bones and shells.

Residents can drop off food scraps at the Town Recycling Center three days a week. In 2024, the town and Bedford 2030 expanded access by adding two 24/7 drop-off sites at Bedford Village Town Park and the Bedford Hills train station parking lot.

The new sites increased food scrap drop-offs by an estimated 33% in their first year and have accounted for about 30% of the program’s diverted food scraps in 2026. Their popularity has even required additional collection bins.

Other initiatives have demonstrated the potential for further progress. A 2018 Zero Waste Challenge asked 14 Bedford families to sort and weigh their household waste. The results showed that 26% of participating families’ trash consisted of food scraps and other compostable materials that could potentially be diverted.

“Composting is one of the simplest ways we can make a meaningful difference in our everyday lives. It’s easy to do, free for residents, and more community participation means a healthier community for everybody,” said Harmony Dixon, communications director for Bedford 2030.

Food scraps account for an estimated 22% of municipal solid waste combusted in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For Bedford, where household trash is incinerated, keeping food scraps out of the waste stream offers several benefits.

Food scraps are heavy and wet, making them a poor fuel for incineration. Diverting them means less material needs to be burned at the Peekskill incinerator, benefiting the environment and neighboring communities.

Composting also returns valuable nutrients to the earth, helps soil retain water and gives organic material a useful second life nourishing gardens, farms and landscapes. Diverting food scraps can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste management.

Bedford 2030 has brought waste reduction efforts into the community through Zero Waste Stations at local events, including its Earth Day Festival and Bedford Tri-Festa. For the past seven years, clearly marked bins and volunteer guidance have helped eventgoers sort waste, with an estimated 75% to 90% of event waste diverted from disposal.

Looking Ahead

While the town and Bedford 2030 are celebrating the progress made over the past decade, they are encouraging more residents to participate in the years ahead.

Residents can bring food scraps to the Town Recycling Center or either of the two 24/7 satellite drop-off sites. They can also compost suitable food scraps at home to create nutrient-rich material for their gardens.

Bedford residents interested in home composting can schedule a free at-home session with a Bedford 2030 Rooted Solutions Coach, who can provide composting tips and guidance.

Residents can also combine both approaches, composting suitable scraps at home while bringing meat, bones, shells and other accepted materials to a Community Compost drop-off site.

For drop-off locations, accepted materials and composting resources, visit bedford2030.org/action/compost/.