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Food waste and yard waste may comprise a significant component of the waste stream, especially where cafeterias and large tracts of land are present. The following case studies describe ways to reduce this waste through composting. NYC Department of Correction: NYC Housing Authority: Composting is a success at Rikers Island The NYC Department of Correction operates the ten prison complexes on Rikers Island — the largest municipal prison in the United States, housing as many as 17,000 inmates. Each day, Rikers Island produces approximately 20 tons of food waste, consisting of kitchen scraps, unserved or spoiled food, and uneaten plate waste. The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) considered Rikers Island an ideal location for piloting an in-vessel food waste composting facility. With partial funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, DSNY constructed a fully enclosed, agitated bay composting facility on the island. Over 80 percent of Rikers food waste is now composted through the facility, which handles approximately 5,000 tons of food waste per year. Compost produced at the facility is used as a soil amendment to improve the poor soil quality on the island. For more information about the history of NYC composting programs, see Composting in New York City in recycling reports. Composting yard waste at Housing Authority sites The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) manages about 350 public housing developments, including approximately 1,175 acres of lawn and an urban forest of 44,000 trees. In an effort to reduce the quantity of waste going to disposal, NYCHA groundskeepers initiated a composting program to collect yard waste with lawn vacuums, bag mowers, and/or leaf blowers and transport it to 120-yard composting sites located at public housing facilities. As a result of the composting program, NYCHA estimates an annual diversion of more than 12,500 cubic yards of leaves and yard waste. Assuming 450 pounds per cubic yard, NYCHA diverts more than 2,800 tons of organic waste per year. Prior to its composting program, NYCHA staff raked and bagged grass clippings for collection and disposal. NYCHA groundskeepers now use mulch mowers and leave grass clippings on the lawn, which diverts an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 tons per year of grass clippings from the waste stream. To learn more about how to compost yard waste, see composting in tips for your Agency.
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Composting Case Studies
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