Compost Demo Comes To Forest Park As NYC Returns To Composting

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — The city's park rangers are organizing a composting class in Forest Park this Sunday, just weeks ahead of the return of NYC's curbside composting program.

No prior knowledge of composting is required in order to attend Composting 101, which will serve as an introduction to the natural process that turns organic matter into nutrient-rich fertilizer. The hour-long program kicks off at 11:00 a.m. in the park, the event says.

In order to attend the event, however people need to register online ahead of time. Also, unvaccinated attendees need to wear masks, and everyone at the demo needs to stand at a social distance of six feet apart or wear a mask if that's not possible, per the Park's Department COVID guidelines.

Composting 101 comes as the city gradually phases back its "opt-in" municipal composting program, which allows New York City residents to sustainably dispose of food scraps right alongside their trash and recycling bags.

The program was suspended as a cost-saving measure amid the pandemic, but is returning this fall on a rolling basis, based on the number of sign-ups in each neighborhood, according to the city. As of now, neighbors in Forest Hills have to express interest in the service in order to participate.

Compostable materials, including scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste, make up a third of the trash that New Yorkers throw away, according to the DSNY, but can be added to "[nourish] our soil for healthier parks and gardens," the agency said.

Not only does composting make the city more sustainable by reducing waste sent to landfills, the city's sanitation agency says it also inhibits rats from getting into the trash. Sending less waste to landfills also removes waste from working class communities of color, which already process a disproportionate amount of the city's trash, records show.

In addition to Composting 101, Forest Parks' usual slate of weekend events are happening this weekend, including The Litter Ambassadors program, which is hosting back-to-back trash pick ups on Saturday and Sunday, and a Hike and Pick program, which takes place on Saturday.