The volunteer-run program known as East Hampton Compost, created in collaboration with ReWild Long Island and the Town of East Hampton, is expanding its list of food scrap drop-off locations to Montauk.
Composting transforms food scraps into soil food “to reduce the carbon footprint, build healthy soils, and lessen the effects of food waste in the community,” according to a release.
East Hampton households “throw out $20 million of food each year,” which goes directly to incinerators or landfills, the organization said. However, composting “diverts food scraps from the waste stream and revitalizes our soils,” making it a much more sustainable alternative.
Composting — the process of reusing organic materials to help enrich the soil for plants and prevent the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere — can be done by collecting fruit and vegetable scraps, loose tea and coffee grounds, egg shells, leaves, and brown paper bags to create an organic mixture that will slowly decompose.
Once participants have collected their food scraps, they can visit one of East Hampton Compost’s designated drop-off sites. Its newest location is the Montauk Community Garden, which accepts food scraps on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of South Etna Avenue and South Edison Street.
Previously established locations include Amber Waves Farm, 367 Main Street in Amagansett, on Wednesdays from 8 to 11 a.m.; the Sag Harbor Farmers Market, 51 Bay Street, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and the Springs Farmers Market at Ashawagh Hall, 780 Springs Fireplace Road, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. More details can be found online at easthamptoncompost.org.
