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Greenpoint Residents Say Composting Is Stinking Up The Neighborhood
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jul 18, 2015
Modified Jul 18, 2015
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jul 18, 2015
Modified Jul 18, 2015
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Greenpointers got their very own compost bins last month as part of the city's gradual expansion of its composting program. But it appears residents aren't super happy with all the banana peels and apple cores piling up in the 'hood—apparently composting is making the whole area smell bad.
Area residents have reportedly been bemoaning the stinky compost bins all week, with locals complaining to various news sites that the rotting food was attracting maggots, flies and roaches, in addition to emitting an unpleasant odor. "It smells like dirty diapers and vomit all up and down the block, and the smell lingers for days," one resident told CBS 2 .
Yesterday, the news outlet decided to investigate, indeed finding the smelly bins crawling with bugs. One of the problems, residents claim, is that the neighborhood composting bins permit meat, fish and dairy products, even though prior composting waste sites prohibited such items. This is not great for one's olfactory system—"It smells like a dead animal. It smells like when a rat gets trapped in a wall," one resident said.
The composting program has been relatively successful, and the city hopes to keep expanding it. Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia told CBS 2 that it will take some time for Greenpoint to get used to composting. "They just started program, and to be honest, there is a learning curve how to do it right so you don’t end up with vermin issues," she said.
In addition to Greenpoint, the city introduced composting in North Williamsburg, Riverdale, North Riverdale and Fieldston last month. Last year, the pilot program was introduced in Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Glendale, Middle Village, and Maspeth.
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brooklyn
composting
greenpoint
smelly
Rebecca Fishbein
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