CITY OF BEACON COMPOSTING

Want to help reduce your effect on climate change? Participate in Beacon’s residential compost program where you can drop off food waste for free.  Collection sites are located at Beacon Recreation Center, Memorial Park and Churchill St. parking lot.  Composting is a great way to reduce the waste burned at the county incinerator in Poughkeepsie.  Burning our waste at “Waste-to-energy” facilities contributes to unsafe air conditions by “releasing harmful chemicals and pollutants” (NRDC.org, Burned: Why Waste Incineration Is Harmful).  Discounted household collection bins are for sale online and at the Recreation Center (23 W. Center St.)  

BUY A LOW-COST BIN: We have discounted buckets for sale in 2 sizes. Use them to collect food scraps in your kitchen and bring them to the drop-off spots. You can purchase online and pick up at the Recreation Center. For more information, click here.

TAKE THE CHECK-IN SURVEY!  We would request that if you use the drop-sites, you participate in the data collection efforts connected to this pilot. The purpose of this data collection is to estimate how much organic waste is being diverted, understand how to support more Beaconites to compost, and potentially expand this initiative. Please help by providing us with feedback on your experience!

QUESTIONS:

If you have questions, please email Compost@beaconny.gov or access our FAQ’s here!

WHAT GOES IN THE DROP OFF BINS?
Any food waste can be composted! This includes:

– Fruits & Vegetables
– Meat, bones
– Dairy, Eggs
– Coffee grounds and filters
– Food soiled paper (tea bags without staples, uncoated paper plates, etc.)
– Paper towels and napkins
– House plants and cut flowers
– Pizza boxes: ripped in half + no wax paper

PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS, AS THEY CANNOT BE COMPOSTED

– BPI compostable bags and products
– Plastics
– Glass
– Plastic and wax coated paper products
– Produce stickers
– Doggy poo, pet waste, and pet litter
– Metal
– Plastic bags
– Styrofoam

Backyard Bin Guides

Composting in your own backyard is a great way to reduce your family waste and create nutrient rich soil for your garden and yard.

WHAT GOES IN THE BACKYARD BINS?
Any food waste can be composted! This includes:

– Fruits & Vegetables
– Eggs shells
– Coffee grounds
– Coffee filters and tea bags
– Grass clippings, twigs, pine needles, tree leaves

PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS, AS THEY CANNOT BE COMPOSTED OR WILL ATTRACT RODENTS
– Meat/bones/dairy
– Plastics
– Glass
– Plastic and wax coated paper products
– Produce stickers
– Doggy poo

If in doubt, please check with Beacon Compost Help Desk at compost@beaconny.gov or throw it out.

VIDEOS:

Please watch our funny “how to compost” videos starring Beacon kids as teachers, Mr. Mayor and other adults as students, and a whole bunch of compost!