A new compost bin has opened in Ellsworth Park in Union City. Officials, residents, and members of the general public gathered to mark the grand opening ceremony of the bin with a ribbon cutting on April 22.
The new public drop-off compost bin, located at the center of Ellsworth Park, is for Union City residents to divert household organic waste from landfills. This project was made possible thanks to the contributions of Mayor Brian Stack, Union City’s Public Works, Community Compost Co., and North Bergen Earth Talks.
Residents are encouraged to wear a mask and bring household compost to deposit.
Items accepted in the compost bin include all food, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, seafood, grains, shells and eggs, coffee grounds and flowers. The compost will also allow for some paper including coffee filters, napkins, paper towels, uncoated paper plates, and tea bags.
Prohibited items include non-food such as plastic, metal, glass, chemicals, styrofoam, liquids, grease, produce stickers, staples in tea bags, compostable “plastics,” coated paper and molded fiber, diapers, tissues, menstrual products, and pet waste.
Pilot program launched
The location is currently under a pilot program with Community Compost Co. until October. During this time, the program could expand further North in Union City with dedicated community support and take full advantage of this opportunity.
North Bergen Earth Talks worked in collaboration with Mayor Brian Stack and Union City’s Public Works, to generate the funding, assemble the drop-off spot, and organize the opening ceremony. They also worked closely with Andrea Rodriguez from compost collector and distributor, Community Compost Co., to bring the project to fruition. Community Compost Co. is a women-owned business based in the Hudson Valley of NY and Northern New Jersey.
“We are honored to work with Mayor Brian Stack to make this Public Compost Drop-Off Spot a reality. We hope to uplift the community in becoming an active part of restoring our local environment,” said a co-founder of North Bergen Earth Talks. “Most residents in Hudson County do not have the yard space to host a personal compost bin. Our communities deserve to have access to divert their food waste through this Union City-funded project.”
North Bergen Earth Talks has been working with North Hudson towns to launch and improve compost programs, with such initiatives existing in North Bergen and another planned for West New York among others. For more information on on the compost bin in Union City, email unioncitycomunitygarden@gmail.com.
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