Any Interest In A Roosevelt Island Public Compost? Food Scraps, Dirt And Worms Equals A Little More Green

You Tube Video of New York City Composting

Received the following question from a Roosevelt Island Southtown resident:

Would you know whether there is a public compost on Roosevelt Island? And if not, who would be the contact person to ask if this could be initiated?

Collection could be easily organized during the Saturday Farmers Market session.

Very much looking forward to hearing from you.

It's not the first time a resident has been inquiring about establishing a public compost for Roosevelt Island. In 2008 a reader asked:

i wonder if anyone else thinks about collecting kitchen scraps to compost? I have tried this but it means schlepping garbage on the subway or tram to the green market in Union Square, where there is a collection stand several days a week. The people who collect there give the scraps to people who process, then use the resulting compost to fertilize farm soil

Commenting on the post, Roosevelt Island 360 reported:

During the non-Winter months we bring our biodegradable fruit and vergetable scraps to the RI Garden Club. They do not want any paper, meat, or fish scraps. Contact Ron from the club to see what can be done or if there is a need during the Winter months.

Earlier today, I asked RIOC President Steve Shane and VP Of Operations Fernando Martinez:

I received an inquiry from a reader regarding composting food scraps on Roosevelt Island. Do you know if this is done on Roosevelt Island? I think the Octagon has or had such a system set up but I believe it is just for their residents.

Would RIOC be able to or interested in establishing a compost system on an Island wide basis?

Mr. Shane replied:

I suggest they contact the Garden Club. We are just finishing up a training series with the Cornell School for our grounds personnel and perhaps it might be considered in the future. We already have a rodent problem to which we pay a lot of attention and one must be careful, especially in our marine environment.

Here's some more information on Composting and the Roosevelt Island Garden Club.

UPDATE 4:30 PM - Mr. Shane forwards this message from RIOC's Parks and Recreation Manager Michael Smith on Roosevelt Island composting:

I totally agree. That's definitely not the type of composting we would want on our Island. Our composting for the future will consists of saw dust and leaves.

I followed up by asking Mr. Shane:

Thank you for forwarding Michael's email message.

What is Michael referring to when he says "it is not the type of composting we would want on our Island"? The You Tube video or something else.

Also, he mentions that there are plans for future composting. What are they?

Mr. Shane replied:

The raw vegetable product which would attract/feed our indigenous rodent population. We are looking at leaves, sawdust composting at some appropriate site, as yet undetermined.