the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WESTWOOD, NJ — The Borough of Westwood is kicking off a new composting pilot program aimed at cutting down landfill waste, saving money, and creating nutrient-rich soil — with the help of a local Eagle Scout.
Councilwoman Erin Collins, who also serves on the Green Team, first proposed the idea back in 2019 as a way to reduce garbage tonnage and boost sustainability. But after being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project is finally becoming a reality thanks to 16-year-old Nico Doell, a Westwood Regional High School junior, who chose to take it on as his Eagle Scout service project.
A Community Effort to Reduce Waste
Doell, who has long been involved in environmental clubs, said the initiative was a perfect fit.
“I knew this would have a lasting effect on my community,” Doell said. “Food scraps and yard waste make up 30% of what the United States throws away. That can be composted — it doesn’t need to end up in landfills.”
Doell and a team of friends, family, and fellow scouts have been busy building a shed at the Westwood Department of Public Works (235 Harrington Ave.) to serve as the compost drop-off site. Once completed, it will feature four large bins where participating families can leave their food waste.
How the Program Works
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Participants in the pilot program will receive a key to access the locked composting shed.
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Food scraps will be collected once or twice weekly by Neighborhood Compost, which transports them to a family farm in Warren County for processing.
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About 50 families have already expressed interest in joining.
Items accepted for composting include fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, bones, eggshells, coffee grounds, bread, grains, napkins, uncoated paper, and BPI-certified compostable utensils and bags. Prohibited items include plastic, receipts, tissues, chemicals, and glass or metal.
Saving Money & Protecting the Environment
According to Collins, composting could save the borough money by reducing the tonnage of trash sent to landfills while cutting harmful methane emissions. The resulting organic material can also serve as a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers.
“The dream of imagining Westwood being totally self-sustaining would be very cool,” Collins said.
Next Steps
Doell is now fundraising to cover the estimated $4,000 cost of the composting shed and hopes to secure donations by the end of September.
Residents interested in joining the pilot program can contact Borough Clerk Jean-Marie Vadovic at jvadovic@westwoodnj.gov.
Join the new Saddle River Valley, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1931704860512551/
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OMG
I thought these tree-hugging experiments died in the 1980s.