No bones about it! Food scrap collection resumes this weekend at St. George Greenmarket

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — It’s a story of trash to treasure as food scrap collection returns to the St. George Greenmarket this Saturday.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of Hyatt St. and St. Mark’s Place, behind the St. George Theatre. The recycling effort will be in place at the Mall Greenmarket by the last Saturday of June.

Both entities are operated by staff from the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. The Livingston not-for-profit hosts the program though the Sanitation’s Bureau of Recycling and Sustainability and the City Council’s allotted funding.

Here’s what is wanted and not wanted for decomposition to create soil.

It is good form to remove all sticker, rubber bands and staples from waste. Collectors also appreciate whole fruits like melons or pineapples to be chopped up into palm-sized pieces.

Yes to recycle:

Fruit and vegetable scraps ideally chopped up into palm-sized pieces

Non-greasy foods, such as rice, pasta, bread, cereal, or grains

Coffee grounds and filters

Tea bags

Egg and nut shells

Pits

Dried or cut flowers

House plants and potting soil, although diseased or infested plants are not welcome

No No’s:

Meat, chicken or fish

Coconuts

Bones or shells

Fats or oils

Dairy

Animal Waste

Kitty litter or bedding

Coal or charcoal

Disease and/or insect-infested houseplants and soil

Certified compostable products like paper products, plastics, cups and utensils

For more information, email Elvy at [email protected].

Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at [email protected].